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Variegated sambucus seedling

pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
edited October 2022 in Plants
Would it be worth rescuing from between the paving?


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  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    That doesn't look anything like the leaves from my Sambucus.

    It does, however, look a lot like ground elder and there is a variegated form of that.  My understanding is that variegated ground elder is not such a thug as regular ground elder and can be a useful plant in difficult areas where ground cover is required.

    Be interested to hear what others have to say.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    edited October 2022
    It might be. Does ground elder have the same typical smell as sambucus?

    I was thinking maybe something along this line… I might be completely wrong.

    https://garden.org/plants/photo/40908/
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I would try potting it and seeing what develops.  If it is ground elder, you can easily get rid. If Sambucus variegated form , you have a free shrub.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I agree with @Topbird … that looks like variegated ground elder to me 😠

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I don't think it is vareigated ground elder.  I think if you can get it out without damaging the root you will be able to see for sure. Think it is more likely a Sambucus seedling. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    My sambucus has leaves like this:



    and the Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' has the same form but dark purple leaves.

    Although they are also commonly known as elder trees, I don't think they're the same family as ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria).



    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited October 2022
    The native Sambucus nigra has leaves which are much less indented than those in your photos @Topbird

    https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/elder/ 

     … but to me the OP pic isn’t right for the native Sambucus either.  

    I have seen some plants affected by herbicides produce variegated and distorted leaves … perhaps  there may be a possibility that might have happened here?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    Thank you everyone. I wasn’t sure it was sambucus either, I just noticed that it smelled like the usual elder seedlings I pull out. 

    I don’t spray anything and neither do my neighbours, so it’s unlike it’s related to herbicide.

    I’m not sure how ground elder seeds are dispersed, but I haven’t seen any nearby. Who knows… I hope all those seedlings I’ve been pulling out are not ground elder. I’ll have a look later in the garden.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    If it smells like Elder then it's Elder. That's the most reliable test


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Ah! - now I've had a good look at some pics of other Sambucus nigra I understand why @pitter-patter thinks it could be a Sambucus seedling. 

    Sorry if my posts were misleading. I thought all Sambucus had the deeply dissected leaves like those in my pic - so I've learned something new today. That's never a bad thing so thank you for that. 

    I'd do as Fidgetbones suggested and pot it up and see what develops.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
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