Elderberry - Sambucus racemosa Sutherland Gold

Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' is an elderberry with clusters of yellow-green star-shaped flowers, followed by red fruits much appreciated by birds. It also stands out for its reddish bark and its finely cut bronze then golden leaves.

Originally from Asia, this is a bushy, hardy, fast-growing shrub, reaching a spread of 2.5m (8ft). The deciduous leaves are opposite, with 7 finely cut leaflets, 20cm (8in) long, turning from bronze to golden when ripe. Honey-producing, it flowers in panicles of yellow-green star-shaped flowers, growing at the end of shoots from May to June, and then offering bright red berries to birds.

Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' is undemanding regarding soil type as long as it is well-drained and in partial shade. Sambucus tolerates severe pruning but you should retain a minimum of old branches as flowering occurs on unpruned branches. It is often cultivated in shrub beds, on slopes, or in wild hedges.