Author Topic: Purple tree?? (Read 4248 times)

Mays · « **on:** April 30, 2013, 10:40:04 am »

I'm failry poor at recognising plants, but I'm sure I have never seen this before.

any ideas?

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2013, 10:43:23 am »

Its Sambucus nigra - the purple leaved elder

Dan · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2013, 11:53:19 am »

Let it grow and you can make elderflower champagne, and the birds will love the berries.

ddangus · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2013, 12:33:41 pm »

I think it might actually be Sambucus racemosa the red berried elder.
If the flowers develop into a plume it is Sambucus racemosa if they turn out as a saucer shaped umbel then it is Sambucus nigra. The berries of S. nigra are black and edible , the ones of S. racemosa are red and there are conflicting opinions on their edibility.

DD

Mays · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2013, 01:51:35 pm »

Quote from: Dan on April 30, 2013, 11:53:19 am

Let it grow and you can make elderflower champagne, and the birds will love the berries.

it is growing in a dyke between two fields so it can stay as longas it is nto posionous

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2013, 05:17:56 pm »

Quote from: ddangus on April 30, 2013, 12:33:41 pm

I think it might actually be Sambucus racemosa the red berried elder.
If the flowers develop into a plume it is Sambucus racemosa if they turn out as a saucer shaped umbel then it is Sambucus nigra. The berries of S. nigra are black and edible , the ones of S. racemosa are red and there are conflicting opinions on their edibility.

DD

Owwwhooops - I bow to your superior knowledge - I have only come across the purple leaved one

Mays · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2013, 06:56:29 pm »

thanks for al your help !
I'll keep an eye on it and report back

ddangus · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2013, 10:41:47 am »

I just checked against some S. racemosa plants growing on a field margin nearby and I am now confident that the picture is S. racemosa.
The purple leaves are a response to either the cold or poor nutrient status and the leaves will be green once they are fully developed.
There are purple leaved forms of Sambucus nigra but these are ornamental varieties, i.e "Black Beauty" there are also golden leafed and lacey leaved varieties. Wild S. nigra trees have green leaves. I am actually not sure whether purple leaved varieties come true from seed or can olny be propgated by cuttings. There are also a number of commercial Danish and Austrian varieties specially selected for either flowers or berries i.e Samdal and Donau.

DD