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Elderflower Bush

Nick3181Nick3181 Posts: 7
in Plants
Hi I would love to plant an elderflower in the garden. Can anybody help me with which variety I should buy. The website I am looking at show the following varieties. Black lace, laciniata, hookeri and aurea marginata. I would just like the traditional elderflower bush/tree. I don't think I've ever see one with dark foliage like the black lace Thanks

Posts

  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    Hi Nick3181 if you want the wild one go to www.victoriananerseries.co.uk they sell themimage
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/elder_sambucus_nigra.html

    very cheap, 

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511

    Go for the wild one.

    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • Nick3181Nick3181 Posts: 7
    Yeah ts the wild one I want. It's called sambuca negra. The trouble is here seems to be more than one called that. The black lace it classed as sambucas negra but hats not the one I want.
  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    Of you could take cuttings if you can find a wild one should be easyimage
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,142

    The one Nutcutlet has linked to is the one you want Nick - that's the plain native Sambucus nigra .......   the 'nigra' refers to the black of the berries - it doesn't have black leaves like Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'  which is a variety that has been bred from the native species.

    Think I've explained that right, haven't I Nut? image


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





  • Nick3181Nick3181 Posts: 7
    I was wondering about taking a cutting but I'm a novice. How would that work. I shall do some research.



    Thanks
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Sounds OK to me Dove.

    You're unlikely to fine the plain elder species in a garden centre Nick, It's not the sort of thing they keep. Hedging or native plant seller is what you want. I haven't tried elder from cuttings but they seed everywhere. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,503

    Study the leaves or ' borrow' a leafy twig from somewhere and then  compare it to what's already in your garden. You might well find you have one already. The birds drop the seeds all over the place.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    These would be good, in fact I think I am going to order them for myself. My tree is so old it's hardly flowering now and it's gone brittle. Time to replace.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Elder-Flower-Hedge-Plants-2-3ft-Make-Elderberry-Wine-Elderflower-Lemonade-/381350348661?hash=item58ca408775:g:kPYAAOSwu4BVvj-a 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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