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In June, when it does
flower, you won't believe how attractive the big pink blooms jump against
the back drop of dark purple foliage.
Massive 10", pink flowers cover the plant in midsummer and
emit a light lemon fragrance. What a contrast!
This is perhaps the
coolest new plant ever developed. It looks more like an exotic
Japanese maple or a rare Cimicifuga than an easy growing elderberry.
These uses for this plant
are endless. grow
it as a shrub, as a bold perennial or train it into a small tree. It's
colorful, versatile and easy to grow.
National Release in 2007! For those people who must have the plant early
we are offing a limited number of plants by mail order. See the links
below.
What people
are saying ...
Wow what a shrub! It is beautiful and unusual. I always look for
plants that are different and I came across this Black Lace at a local
garden center. I fell in love with it and had to have it. The garden
center only had 6 of them and they sold out fast. I planted it this
spring and it has grown twice, almost three times the size. I get tons
of compliments on it and everyone in my neighborhood wants one. I love
the deep purple/black leaves and I cannot wait till it flowers. Thanks
so much for this new variety of shrub, it is a top notch winner! - Tami,
OH, Zone 4
I purchased a small Black Lace in July to plant
beside the edge of the water garden in our front yard. It is just
beautiful there, among the large limestone boulders, and other plants,
and has really grown in a short time. It is definitely the focal point
of the garden, and everyone who visits seems drawn to it, asking me
where they can get one. We are planning to add other water gardens to
our landscape next season, and more Black Lace will find their home near
them. - Sincerely, Brenda B. IA, Zone 5
This has got to be the best looking plant in my
garden. I live in the UK, I planted this shrub in my garden in June
2005 when it was only 12cm in height it had tripled in size within a
few months and distinctively looked like a Japanese maple but unlike
the Japanese maple this looked stunning when the the wind blew the
lacy leaves. Over winter it survived temperatures of -5 degrees. I
cut back my black lace down to around 26cm in January by April,
leaves began to emerge from the buds and in May it began a rapid
growth it is now about 4ft by 2ft with beautiful pink flowers
absolutely stunning I can't wait till the berries come as I have not
seen this on my plant. whenever we have visitors everyone wants to
know what it is and where did I get it from. I am so glad I planted
it on a island bed in the middle of my garden as I can view its
marvel from within my home it is definitely the centre piece in my
garden It really makes my garden. Thank you for producing such a
stunning shrub. - Lin Tseng,
UK.
I brought every one they had
at Lowes garden center and they are perfect for the place I put them.
I am replacing an old hedge and they will give me a clean view - Tim, NJ,
Zone 6
MY HUSBAND AND I WENT TO OUR LOCAL
TREE/FLOWER NURSERY TODAY, J&L LANDSCAPING AND GARDEN CENTER AND
FOUND SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING. MY HUSBAND IS A LANDSCAPER AND
KNOWS A LOT ABOUT EVERY TYPE OF PLANT, TREE, SHRUB, WEED. YOU NAME
IT HE KNOWS IT. I EVEN HEAR HIM TALKING ABOUT IT IN HIS SLEEP. WELL,
WE WERE THERE TO GET A JAPANESE MAPLE TREE FOR A GIFT FOR HIS
MOTHER. HE JUST PUT IN A BEAUTIFUL FISH POND IN HER YARD AND IT JUST
WOULD NOT BE PERFECT WITH OUT A JAPANESE MAPLE HANGING OVER THE TOP.
AS WE WERE WALKING THROW THE NURSERY, I SAID TO MY HUSBAND "CHECK
THIS OUT" "WHAT IS IT"? HE SAID "I DON'T KNOW" WOW, YOU CAUGHT HIM
IN A STUMP. HE DON'T KNOW!! WE LOOKED AT IT AND LOVED IT. THE BLACK
LACE IS STUNNING. SO OF COARSE WE BOUGHT IT. IT LOOKS GREAT! WE
CAN'T WAIT TO BUY ANOTHER FOR OUR YARD NOW. GREAT JOB.... THANKS FOR
THE BEAUTIFUL SHRUB. - JO-ANN, RHODE ISLAND
I've been looking for Sambucus nigra "Black Beauty" for my
perennial garden for the last few years, but haven't had much luck
either with local or online nurseries. Either they're too pricey or
they've sold out. While browsing the local Lowe's recently, I found
an unlabeled "Proven Winner" - the only one in the store - that
looked like a Japanese maple, with greenish-purple finely cut
foliage. The computer listed the plant only as "assorted shrubs". I
used the SKU ticket to access your website and now I realize I have
a Sambucus nigra "Black Lace". I can't wait to plant it and see how
it grows. Thanks. - Ann, MA, zone 6
Share your experience:
Rate
how has this variety has preformed in your garden.
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 4-7, in zones 4 and colder it can behave like a perennial in and die
back in the winter. Quickly grows to form a nice plant the following spring.
Bloom Time:
Begins in late June
Bloom Color:
Soft pink fading to white as they age. A lemony scent.
Foliage Color:
Attractive, finely cut, dark purple-black
Fall Color:
Remains the same color
Size:
6 to 8 feet high and wide with age. Can be easily
maintained as a smaller plant or trained into a small tree
Exposure:
Full sun for best foliage color
Soil:
Best in moist soil although will tolerant. Dry soils. Thrives under acid or
alkaline soils.
Pruning:
In zones 4 and colder it can behave like a perennial in and die back in the
winter. Simply cut cut back any dead branches, as you would with a perennial. It
quickly grows to form a nice plant the following spring. In zones 5 and warmer
it grows like a typical shrubs, although hard pruning every few years results in
a fuller, bushier plant.
Forms its flower buds in later summer and then flowers in
early June. The best time to prune is it after it blooms, from mid-June
to mid-August. Cease pruning in mid-august to allow time for the
flower buds to form prior to winter.
As a young plant it
is best to prune or pinch your plant in order to build a full bodied,
well branched plant. If the plant is leggy when you purchased it,
shear the plant back hard by 1/3 to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts
on an inch or two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just the
growing tip. This tip controls branching. Once the tips are removed the
buds below it will turn into stems. Once these new branches grow an inch
or two, pinch the tip out again. You can repeat this throughout the
first growing season as you are tending your garden. Although you
will sacrifice one year of bloom, this technique results in a well
branched, full bodied plant that will have more flowers in subsequent
years. The second season in the ground, repeat the pinching practice (or
lightly shear) up until mid-August. Cease pruning and pinching to
allow the flower buds to set.
During the third and
subsequence seasons, prune or pinch after flowering and up to bud set in
mid-August. Do not be afraid to prune or shear your plant harder if you
wish to maintain a shorter size.
Watering:
Moist soils but becomes more drought tolerant
with maturity.
Wildlife:
Birds
Type:
Deciduous
Fertilizing:
Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for
trees & shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of application.
Uses:
Groupings or masses, perennial or shrub borders,
specimen, screens, roadsides, naturalizing, near boggy or wet gardens.
Other:
Fruit is edible and good for jellies, pies, juice and wine.
Breeders: Ken Tobutt and Jacqui Prevette of East Malling Research Station.
It was
the talk of England’s Chelsea Garden Show, and it’s on its way to a
garden center near you.
BLACK
LACE™ is a stunning development in Elderberry breeding.
Intense purple black foliage is finely cut, giving it an effect similar
to that of Japanese maple.
It is very cold
hardy and easy to grow, and adaptable to most sites. Full sun is needed
for the best color. It can be used as a dramatic accent plant, planted
en masse for a trouble free hedge, or incorporated into the mixed or
perennial border
Awards: ANLA-NMPro
Best New plant 2006,
Silver Medal Royal Boskoop Horticulture
Society.
Sources : In a few select garden centers in 2006. National Release in
2007
Click here to
locate a local
retailer
or purchase via mail order at:

A sampling of Blogs speaking about Black lace
GardenDesignOnline: Plants to Covet
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Garden Club Connection

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