Sambucus nigra Serenade - Black Elder

Sambucus nigra Serenade is a branching bush whose finely cut foliage changes colour season after season. From a purplish brown hue at blooming, Serenade evolves to bronze to golden yellow, then light green in summer. In autumn, its leaves take on a beautiful purple colour. Its vegetation is adorned in late spring with delicate cream-white umbels, followed by black berries. Hardy and deciduous like all black elderberries, this variety should be exposed to the sun for a better expression of these colours.

Sambucus nigra Serenade is a plant belonging to the Caprifoliaceae family. It is derived from Sambucus nigra, a widespread wild species in Europe, North Africa, and as far as Asia Minor. The black elderberry is an opportunistic and highly adaptable wild species, found in clearings, hedges, fallow lands and coastal dunes, as well as near human settlements, with which it has coexisted for millennia. It is therefore an undemanding bush and very easy to cultivate everywhere.

The Serenade Elderberry has a branching habit and reaches 2 m (7ft) in all directions. Its deciduous foliage is remarkable with finely cut leaves that change colour season after season. From a purplish brown hue at blooming, Serenade evolves to bronze to golden yellow then light green in summer. In autumn, its leaves take on a purple colour. Flowering occurs in May-June in the form of long-lasting cream-white false umbels, 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4in) wide, followed by pendulous clusters of dark purple-black fruits in late summer, which are highly appreciated by birds.

Easy to grow, the Serenade 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 it in a sunny position for a better expression of its colours, but it also tolerates a semi-shaded location. It is undemanding of the soil, accepting clay, limestone, sand, and even poor soils. The ideal planting mix is half compost/half garden soil. It is very hardy. To promote flowering, prune the old branches heavily to rejuvenate them and cut back the young branches by one-third in late winter.

The Serenade black elderberry is an excellent informal hedge bush that is easy to maintain as its height does not exceed 2m (7ft). Like all elderberries, it is very hardy and easy to integrate into a mass of shrubs with spring or summer flowering. Due to its dense and compact habit, finely cut foliage, and changing colour, the Sambucus nigra Serenade will harmonize well when placed in the background of different cultivars of Japanese maples or roses.