Sambucus nigra Aurea - Black Elder

Sambucus nigra 'Aurea' is an ornamental variety of black elderberry valued for its golden foliage, which is very bright. It is a deciduous bush species of reasonable dimensions that bears flat and wide corymbs of small, cream-white, nectar-rich, honey-scented flowers in late spring. These are followed by black berries, greatly appreciated by birds and edible once cooked in the form of wines, syrups, jams, etc. Use it to bring light to the darker corners of the garden or to create contrast with darker foliage in an informal hedge or shrub border. The black elderberry is perfectly hardy and adapts to all soils, even lime-bearing, in full sun or partial shade.

Sambucus nigra belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. It is a wild species widespread in Europe, North Africa, and as far as Asia Minor. The black elderberry is an opportunistic and highly adaptable species, found in open woods, hedges, fallow land, coastal dunes, and even close to human settlements with which it has coexisted for millennia. It is therefore an undemanding bush and very easy to cultivate anywhere. As a nitrophilous species, it indicates a high presence of nitrogen in the soil. Its young branches, filled with tender pith, were hollowed out in ancient times to make flutes. It is an indispensable species for creating beautiful natural hedges and providing shelter and food for many species that are important for the ecological balance of the garden. It is also a medicinal plant, its flowers used in infusions to fight urinary and respiratory infections.

The 'Aurea' variety forms a more compact bush, not exceeding 4m (13ft) in all directions. Its leaves, initially of a chartreuse, golden yellow, are large, about 30 cm (12in) long, and consist of 5 to 7 leaflets, ovate, pointed, and dentate, measuring 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6in). The flowers, in large corymbs measuring 10 to 24 cm (4 to 9in), have 5 stamens and 5 cream-white petals and appear from May to June. The fruits are presented in clusters of berries measuring 6 to 8 mm (1in), first red and then dark purple, and are carried by bright red pedicels. The bark is light green, then gray, cracked, fissured, lenticellate, and becomes spongy with age.

Easy to cultivate, black elderberry can be planted in spring or autumn in any ordinary soil, not too poor, deep enough, and not too dry, although it tolerates periods of temporary drought in deep soil once well established. It requires little maintenance. Plant in a sunny site for better flowering and fruiting, but it also tolerates partial shade. It is not demanding in terms of soil, accepting of clay, limestone, sand, and even degraded soils. The ideal planting mix is half compost/half garden soil. It is very hardy. To encourage flowering, prune the old branches back hard and cut back the young branches by a third in late winter. You can also choose to grow it as a tree by regularly pruning off shoots and suckers at its base and along the trunk.