[tattycat]

Hiya, I was really interested in the elderflower question. Re Black Elder. I'm in Rep of Ireland and in the garden is a wild elder that has a tinge of pink at the edge of the flower petals. It makes a more fragrant cordials.  There is a serated leafed elder in a different part of the garden that hasent flowered in the 5 yrs weve been here. Never seen the pink edged elder anywhere in the UK before...any ideas? Nd how did folk get on with the black elderflowers?

[HesterF]

I don't think I saw the question. Were they black elderflowers or the elderflowers from a black elder? Never heard of black flowers but black elder is the normal type, isn't it? They have black berries rather than black flowers. I imagine yours is the same type, just with tint on the flowers which can vary a bit.

[tattycat]

I've never come across an elder like it nd have been foraging for many years. Also there are 'normal'elder growing with it with no cross fertilistion and the normal creamy flowers.....

[oldwolf]

I have used the flowers off the black elder inadvertently as the wife had been out picking florets for me and only later did she point out which trees they came from.  Still alive!!!!!

[Rosemary]

We have a black elder in the garden. It produces pink blossom, which makes the most lovely pink elderflower champagne and cordial. The leaves of the shrub are a dark purple. It's very attractive, I think.

[cloddopper]

I've never come across an elder like it nd have been foraging for many years. Also there are 'normal'elder growing with it with no cross fertilistion and the normal creamy flowers.....

 A picture speaks a thousand words , so can we have some pictures of your shrub & it's flowers if at all possible .?

[SallyN]

it's almost certainly a garden escapee - either cross between a regular elder and a purple elder (Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla to give it its posh name), or a not-particularly-special purple elder that's seeded itself or suckered or just been dumped by someone disposing of garden waste.

Proper purple elder has very pink flowers and deep purple leaves as Rosemary said and is a really ornamental plant. It makes great pink champagne but is otherwise exactly the same as regular elder. Both have black berries.

I'd imagine your serrated-leaf elder is another sport of a regular elder - there are lots of different species, hybrids, forms & variations. You could try patenting it and selling it for millions as the Next Big Thing in horticulture but the lack of flowers mightn't appeal to gardeners!