red leaf elderberry?

Hi,
Been to Piglets farm park today with the rugrats near York.
They had a bush there that looked like it had elderflower on it but it had red leaves.
Tried to google it but no luck.
Is there such a thing or is it something else?
No photo I'm afraid.

Cheers
David

 

I'm not aware of any red leaved elderberries, there are a few purple ones, a golden, variegated and plain green. Perhaps it may have been something else, I'll have a think

 

Were the flowers pinkish? I have a "Black Tower" Elderberry. In the right light (not this year then) the leaves look sort of reddish.

 

Yup, pink flowers and red/purplish leaves.

sounds like a winner, thanks.

 

The main purple leaved ones are Black Lace/Eva (finely cut leaves) and Black Beauty/Gerda (normal Elder leaves)

Plenty to choose from here:
http://www.cgf.net/plants.aspx?id=8&hid=6&genus=SAMBUCUS
its normally some of the Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla varieties that have purple/dark foliage. I have no idea what the "f" stands for??

 

'f' = forma

 

Thanks Palustris. "Sambucus nigra forma porphyrophylla" is a bit of a blinking mouthful isn't it? and I haven't even got to the Variety yet ... which used to be, say, Black Lace but then they went for Plant Breeder Rights and is now Eva, so its commonly labelled as "Black Lace / Eva" ...

Does "forma" infer something liked "crossed with"? I only remember Frankie Howard in the "Forum"

 

No, it just means that it is a form of the main type, which is different but not different enough to be given a varietal name.