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Sutherland Gold Elder

Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold'

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Sutherland Gold Elder (Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold') at Glen Echo Nurseries

Sutherland Gold Elder foliage

Sutherland Gold Elder foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Sutherland Gold Elder (Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold') at Glen Echo Nurseries

Sutherland Gold Elder

Sutherland Gold Elder

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  12 feet

Spread:  10 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  2b

Other Names:  European Red Elder

Description:

A refined yet durable garden shrub featuring beautiful golden foliage all season long and creamy white flowers in spring followed by bright red berries; compact and upright habit, though rather coarse in winter, a reliable color accent for the garden

Ornamental Features

Sutherland Gold Elder features showy clusters of lightly-scented creamy white flowers held atop the branches in mid spring. It has attractive yellow deciduous foliage. The deeply cut ferny compound leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall colour. The red fruits are held in abundance in spectacular clusters in early summer.

Landscape Attributes

Sutherland Gold Elder is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Disease

Sutherland Gold Elder is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Sutherland Gold Elder will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Screening  Garden  Naturalizing 
Applications
Flowers  Fruit  Foliage Color  Texture  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features