Near-Black Lacy Foliage With Fragrant Pink Flowers

Black Lace Elderberry (Sambucus nigra 'Eva') is one of the most dramatic shrubs you can grow — deeply cut, near-black, lacy foliage that looks remarkably like a Japanese maple but thrives in Minnesota's cold. In early summer, fragrant pink flower clusters cover the dark leaves for a stunning contrast, followed by dark berries. Tough and deer-resistant, it's a showstopping foliage accent for borders and entryways in Edina, Woodbury, and Maple Grove.

Black Lace Elderberry Plant Details

Landscape Uses in Minnesota

Dramatic foliage specimen: Its dark, lacy leaves make a bold focal point — a hardy stand-in for a Japanese maple. Space 6–8 feet apart, or prune to keep it smaller.

Foliage contrast and pollinators: Stunning against gold and chartreuse foliage; the fragrant flowers feed pollinators. Pair with gold-foliage shrubs and bright perennials.

Best Time to Plant in Minnesota

Plant in spring (late April–May) or early fall (late August–mid September) into rich, moist soil. Water through establishment.

How to Plant Black Lace Elderberry

Dig a hole twice the root ball width at the same depth, mixing in compost. Set the crown level, backfill, water well, and mulch 2–3 inches deep. Space 6–8 feet apart.

Watering Black Lace Elderberry

First year: Water deeply every 2–3 days at first, then weekly. Stop 2–3 weeks before the ground freezes.

After year one: Prefers consistent moisture; water during dry spells. Prune in late winter to control size and intensify foliage.

Q: Does it really look like a Japanese maple?
Yes — its finely cut, near-black foliage gives the look of a Japanese maple but with zone-4 hardiness Japanese maples can't match here.

Q: Will it survive a Minnesota winter?
It's hardy to zone 4; in exposed sites give it a sheltered spot and mulch the base.

Q: Are the berries edible?
Black elderberries should be cooked before eating; raw fruit and other parts are not for raw consumption.

Q: Is it deer-resistant?
Yes — deer rarely browse elderberry.

You May Also Like

Laced Up Elderberry (Sambucus nigra): A columnar near-black elderberry for tight spaces.

Sutherland Gold Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa): A golden lacy-leaved elderberry for contrast.

Ninebark (Physocarpus): A native shrub with dark-foliage options.

How Many Black Lace Elderberry Do I Need?

Black Lace is a specimen-scale shrub (6–8 feet tall and wide). One plant makes a complete focal point near an entry, patio, or border corner — give it a 7–8 foot circle. For an informal flowering screen along a property line, space plants 5–6 feet apart so they knit together; a pairing of one Black Lace with two gold-foliage shrubs (rather than a row of three dark ones) keeps the dark leaves reading as an accent instead of a shadow.

Black Lace Elderberry Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Finely cut foliage emerges dark and lacy in May — late-winter pruning done before this push intensifies leaf color and controls size.
• Summer: Fragrant soft-pink flower clusters smother the near-black leaves in early summer — the signature contrast — while pollinators work the blooms.
• Fall: Clusters of dark berries follow the flowers (cook before eating; the birds will take most of them), and the foliage holds its dusky color until frost.
• Winter: Stems go bare; a mulched base carries it through exposed-site winters, and any winter dieback can simply be pruned off in late winter — it regrows fast.

At a Glance

✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Deer-Resistant   ✔ Rain-Garden / Wet-Soil

Plant It With

• Sutherland Gold Elderberry — golden lacy foliage that makes the classic near-black-and-gold pairing.
• Lemon Lace Elderberry — a fine-textured chartreuse elderberry for bright contrast at a smaller scale.
• Laced Up Elderberry — the same near-black lace in a narrow column for tight spots nearby.
• Diabolo Ninebark — a tough native-species shrub that echoes the dark-foliage theme with white June flowers.

Is Black Lace Elderberry Right for Your Yard?

Choose Black Lace if you have full sun to light shade (sun gives the darkest leaves), rich soil that stays evenly moist, and room for a 6–8 foot statement shrub — it shrugs off deer and delivers Japanese-maple looks with true zone-4 toughness. It's not a fit for hot, dry, sandy sites that go weeks without water, and in very exposed, windswept spots expect some winter tip dieback (easily pruned off in spring).