Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Black Lace Elderberry Sambucus nigra bush shrub berries attract birds

Beautiful Black Lace Elderberry Sambucus nigra with berries for the birds or made into elderberry wine or jam.  Lovely pink flathead queen annes lace like blooms with dark black lacey leaves. Super easy to grow, cold hardy to zones 3-8.  I took cuttings from a friends plant early spring, about 6 stems, 12 inches long, trimmed the lower leaves put one third of the stems into soil in a good sized pot about 12" tall and 10" wide is fine , stems spaced 3-4 inches apart and kept watered in early spring. The stems were about pencil width and that is all there is to it.  By the end of summer you will see new growth and then plant it into the spot in the garden to go into winter. My plant is about 2' tall and 2' wide now from last years cuttings and will get to 5' x 5' eventually , even taller if you let it get tall but I keep mine trimmed back to keep it bushy.