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Elder Gerda in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' syn. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Black Beauty', Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty'

 

Elder 'Gerda'

Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' is a deciduous shrub or small tree with dark red-black foliage and fragrant lemon- scented, pale pink flowers in early Summer, opening from dark red buds, making it a very attractive ornamental shrub with fruit that is very attractive to birds.

Contributed by @Ka.v

 
plant Features
  • Elder Gerda likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Elder Gerda likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Elder Gerda is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Elder Gerda likes all soil conditions

    All soil conditions

 
plant information

Common name

Elder 'Gerda'

Latin name

Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' syn. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Black Beauty', Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty'

type

Shrub

family

Adoxaceae

ph

5.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Elder Gerda likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Elder Gerda is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Soil

    Elder Gerda likes all soil conditions

    All soil conditions

  • Water

    Elder Gerda likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Elder Gerda is 5.00meters x 5.00meters 5.00 M 5.00 M

Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' syn. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Black Beauty', Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty'

Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' is a deciduous shrub or small tree with dark red-black foliage and fragrant lemon- scented, pale pink flowers in early Summer, opening from dark red buds, making it a very attractive ornamental shrub with fruit that is very attractive to birds.


Propagation by cuttings

From Mid Spring TO Early Summer

Take soft wood cuttings in spring to early summer. Cleanly cut up to a 10cm long stems, remove lower leaves and pinch the tip out, dip the stem into rooting hormone, fill a container/pot with suitable compost, make holes around the edge of it and plant the cuttings, water in well, cover with a polythene bag and place somewhere warm, lake the bag off twice a week to air the cuttings. Keep the cuttings moist until well rooted.Harden off when well rooted and pot on into individual pots increasing the airing to let the leaves to develop. Remove rotten, dying or dead cuttings regularly.

 

Planting Outdoors Spring

From Early Spring TO Late Spring

Thrives in any reasonable soil, with best foliage colour in full sun. Keep well watered until established.

 

Flowering Season

From Late Spring TO Early Summer

The hermaphrodite flowers are borne in large, flat corymbs 10–25 cm diameter in late spring to mid summer, the individual flowers ivory white, 5–6 mm diameter, with five petals. They are pollinated by flies.

 
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