Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Sambucus Nigra shrub

StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
in Plants
Hi all 
A’s anyone had any experience in pruning this particular Sambucus to a single trunk 
I recently raised the skirt of this shrub by removing some lower branches. This allowed me to plant under the shrub and I would prefer to keep it in its standard form 
The shrub is about 3 years old and I have previously pruned it in late Autumn to rejuvenate for fuller foliage the following year 
How would leaving as a single trunk effect the pruning process of this shrub 
Any help would be very much appreciated 
With thanks 

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    IMHO it's best left to do its own thing. It can throw up shoots about 3m long in a single year so on a single stem, I think it'd be very top heavy. 
    Devon.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    I think Hosta has a point about the shrub becoming top heavy. I guess it depends on the length and thickness of the cleared single stem and how tall & wide you allow the shrub to become each summer.

    I prune mine back to just under a metre high each year and it easily puts on nearly 3m of growth over the summer. You can cut back overlong and wayward branches during the summer to keep a nice shape but I think it would not look good heavily pruned all over. 
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    There is a new Sambucus available, called Black Tower. Its natural growth is columnar, so may suit your needs.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    punkdoc said:
    There is a new Sambucus available, called Black Tower. Its natural growth is columnar, so may suit your needs.

    eek, me no likey !!!
    Devon.
  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
    Thank you for your feedback 
    Exactly, my train of thought that it may make this particular shrub look a bit top heavy.
    Also, the exposed trunk/ branches aren’t actually a good look imo 
    Ok then, back to the drawing board 
    😀😀
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'd "stool" it each spring, and just remove any lower branches which are "in the way" 
    Devon.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    That's what I do with mine.

    I also grow a small flowered Gp 3 clematis (Prince Charles) through it which looks quite pretty mid to late summer.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
    edited November 2019
    Hi Top Bird 
    I also have a Clematis growing up mine that covers up a lot of the trunk and branches 
    I may go with what Hostafan as recommended. I will prune it back by a third to ensure strong foliage which this shrub is mainly all about to me and then remove the bottom growth to attempt to structure it to a single trunk in late spring 
    I will show photos of the shrub in late spring after all this and get your views on the finished job 
    Thank you all for your help 
Sign In or Register to comment.