Sambucus racemosa Golden Lace - European Red Elder

Sambucus racemosa Golden Lace is a small bushy elderberry that stands out for its graceful foliage, which is bright yellow in spring. The flowering in white, honey-scented umbels takes place in mid-spring. The flowers give way to clusters of berries that turn scarlet when ripe in late summer. Very colourful and not too bulky, this elderberry is easy to incorporate into any garden, even the smallest ones. It thrives in any garden soil that is not too compact and not too dry in summer. 

A very hardy wild species widespread in Europe, North Africa, and as far as Asia Minor, the Sambucus racemosa, or mountain elder, is a deciduous bush of the Caprifoliaceae family, like honeysuckles, weigelas, and valerians.

The Golden Lace elderberry 'KOJUSRG' is a Canadian horticultural variety, sometimes marketed under the name 'Morden Golden Glow'. It is distinguished from the typical species by its smaller size and original foliage, beautifully architectural and colourful. The plant has a bushy habit, flexible branches, and forms a feathery, airy mass, up to 1.50 m (5ft) high and wide at the most. This graceful habit, and the branches covered with distinctly yellow feathery foliage in spring, are the charm of this bush. Its growth is quite fast. The deciduous leaves, opposite and compound, with finely incised leaflets and toothed edges, are red-bronze when they bud, become bright yellow, and then turn green in summer. Honey-scented, its flowering occurs in May-June depending on the climate. It takes the form of conical panicles composed of small star-shaped creamy white flowers that appear at the ends of the stems. After pollination clusters of small round berries, tightly packed together, are formed. Highly decorative in late season, they are a bright red and stand out beautifully against the yellow autumn foliage. These fruits are a delight for birds. 

The 'Golden Lace' Elderberry is a gem for small gardens or a terrace. Place it in the centre or foreground of a bed of smaller shrubs, or near an entrance or window, or alongside a path. You can also keep it in a large pot or container for many years by regularly pruning it to limit its growth. Combine it with dark foliage plants (Physocarpus, Prunus, Berberis, Sambucus nigra Black Lace), Stanwell Perpetual roses, or a creeping ceanothus with blue spring flowers. It will enhance the autumn colours of deciduous euonymus, Cotinus, Hydrangea quercifolia, or Parrotia persica.

In the garden: Elderberry leaves are known to accelerate compost decomposition. A black elderberry leaf infusion is useful in organic gardening to combat mildew and aphid or rodent attacks: soak 1 kg of leaves in 10 liters of water for a few days, then spray carefully. It can also be planted in an orchard, where it attracts insect-eating birds.