Lemony Lace^® Elderberry Sambucus racemosa

The Lemony Lace is definitely susceptible to Verticillium Wilt. I have two 3 year old plants and they were thriving in 6-8 hrs of sun. Truly unique and gorgeous plants. But in June they developed brown patches. Complete limbs turned brown and dead. One is still going after removing a limb. The other looks like the whole plant will die soon. And they are not planted next to each other. Upon reading about this Wilt, I think I will have to remove both. There are many people online with this problem. Plants do not recover. It is so sad. I would not recommend purchasing.

While it’s a beautiful plant, mine died within a week of bringing it home from the nursery. It looks like it came with the Elderberry Borer Beetle, which is unfortunate.

I purchased this shrub online just few days ago and it arrived to me in a disastrous condition. All buds and freshly emerged foliage were totally wilted. The plant spent 50 hours in delivery, placed in a small cartoon box together with other plants, so my first thought was that the shrub was stressed with shipping conditions and didn't get enough oxygen or water. However all other delivered plants were very fine. So I watered the shrub and placed in a shaded and cool room for two days. Unfortunately it hasn't started to recover, buds are still wilted and now I suspect that it is suffering from verticilium wilt and it was already infected with the disease in the nursery.

Not sure what killed it. Zone 5b 6a border, 3rd year of growth on an established plant In a place I consider a prime location on south facing bed, sheltered by house and trellis, sees 6hrs of direct afternoon sun daily, with 4 to 5 hrs partial shade. A mature plant 6ft high 8 ft wide, dropped all leaves late June...dead. It was the third year in this location. Nearby plants such as hibiscus, elephant ears, clematis, coral bells, Japanese maples, dwarf crab are all unaffected and thriving. It sure left an ugly hole, but while it existed it was such a beautiful plant!

The wilt gardeners are experiencing with this plant is likely verticillium wilt, a soil-borne disease that emerges only in certain years and is very difficult to eradicate unless you are willing to solarize your soil. I lost three cotinus (8') to this a couple of years ago. It is heartbreaking. This is such a beautiful plant. Perhaps planting it as a container plant with sterile soil would help - it is a shame to lose a plant to this disease.