I always pruned all my beloved elders pretty much as for Dovefromabove last paragraph. That way you get the whole lot, graceful habit (no stumps, but natural arching wands), realatively small size, foliage, flowers and berries. And you are never left with a gaping hole in the spring garden.
I like the flowers of Black Lace, they have the same "plate like" dead horizontal look of common elder's flowers (which I also love), but they are tinged with deep a rosy-red. Delightful.
I usually prune the flowered wands in winter and leave the straight new ones intact, that is where I need a smaller bush. If you have space to let the bush spread you can leave the wands three of four years... after blooming they arch outwards with the weight of the berries, and next summer a new generation of twigs comes up vertically along the arching wand... It's a very fascinating shape and mode of growth, but it needs space to express itself fully
I have underplanted mine with a white arum lily which has really matured over the past couple of years. The white flowers of the lily against the black foliage of the sambucus and the bright green lily foliage looks fab.
My Black Lace is planted close to a Hibanobambusa tranquillans "Shiroshima" (white variegated bamboo). They are still small, and have some ground to cover yet, but already promise future magnificence!
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I cut mine down to about 2 foot last year. Was about 7-8 foot until a week ago and lost a foot or so in height in the wind we had.
My sister has pruned hers into a tree shape with a main 'trunk' which is pretty effective.
Mine is getting seriously decapitated next spring!
I always pruned all my beloved elders pretty much as for Dovefromabove last paragraph. That way you get the whole lot, graceful habit (no stumps, but natural arching wands), realatively small size, foliage, flowers and berries. And you are never left with a gaping hole in the spring garden.
I like the flowers of Black Lace, they have the same "plate like" dead horizontal look of common elder's flowers (which I also love), but they are tinged with deep a rosy-red. Delightful.
Katherine - Yes, mine are looking great at the moment too.
Yes!
I usually prune the flowered wands in winter and leave the straight new ones intact, that is where I need a smaller bush. If you have space to let the bush spread you can leave the wands three of four years... after blooming they arch outwards with the weight of the berries, and next summer a new generation of twigs comes up vertically along the arching wand... It's a very fascinating shape and mode of growth, but it needs space to express itself fully
I have underplanted mine with a white arum lily which has really matured over the past couple of years. The white flowers of the lily against the black foliage of the sambucus and the bright green lily foliage looks fab.
Wow! Picture??
My Black Lace is planted close to a Hibanobambusa tranquillans "Shiroshima" (white variegated bamboo). They are still small, and have some ground to cover yet, but already promise future magnificence!
Funny how they react differently ! Ours is cut back quite hard each spring and flowers very well.
I used to cut mine back early spring, but it never flowered.
This year I forgot to cut it back and I've got flowers!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.