A tall and slender, elegant shrub which will bring an element of dark drama to a sunny spot in the garden. Primarily grown for it's deeply divided foliage which emerges green in spring, but quickly turns a very dark burgundy. In summer the clouds of tiny flattened lavender pink, lightly scented flowerheads form a superb contrast with the foliage. Black Tower is a variety which has been bred to remain slim and columnar during the growing season, although, as with many sambucus the best foliage effect is achieved if all stems are cut back to the ground in early spring each year, and given a good deep mulch of well rotted manure or compost. Can make 2.5m in height but will only ever expand outwards just over a metre. Will grow in most reasonable soils, moist but well drained.