Poorly Sambuca Negra (Revisited)

Hi.
My Sambuca Negra is looking rather sad and wilted, due I think to an unseasonably dry period earlier in the year. It's been like this for a while and no amount of rain or watering has revived it.
I'm now inclined to follow earlier advice and thinking of chopping it back. Can anyone advise as to whether or not this is a good idea and if so, how far back and when should I do it? Now/Autumn/Spring?
If chopping back is not the solution I'd be really grateful for any alternative advice. It's a lovely tree and I'll be sad if I've lost it for good.

 

Not looking very hopeful in its current state.
It's likely that the roots will still be OK though and will probably recover with some tlc.
For the time being I'd say just keep it watered until autumn so the roots don't dry out completely.
Don't be tempted to feed it until next year.

Any branches or stems that snap when bent over are dead and can be removed - if that's all of them, then you could remove all of them.
Branches that still have signs of life could be left.

Once that's done I'd cut it all right back to about 6" in early Spring next year.
It should re-shoot from the stumps that are left and will send out new growth from below the soil.

They're really tough plants and yours has shut down to protect the roots.
Mine is not looking dissimilar.

Keep fingers X'ed!

 

I'm sorry to say @louisxiv to my eye it looks dead, have you scraped the bark on any of the branches to see if it's green underneath the bark, if not try that and if you find any green cut back to that point, if none then put a replacement on the Christmas list.

 

Thanks both. Some good advice there.

 

I haven't the knowledge of proper gardeners on here, but I do have good experience of Sambucus. They have been very hardy on my underlying Oxford Clay, and unbothered by drought. Racemosa Gold and Black Lace have been very easy to keep, as long as I've cut them quite hard back as soon as the first buds appear in Spring. We have had very little rain for months yet the current Black Lace has thrived, though flowers are now gone. I recently bought a Black Beauty, but not planting it out till I'm sure of location. I have to be careful to choose trouble-free shrubs for my position, and love Sambucus. That said I did lose a Black Lace one winter, and I agree with both Pete and Nigels' comments; it may well be dead, but for sure cut it down almost to ground level quite early in spring, and if there's any life left it will recover.

 

Personally I would cut it down now. If the roots are ok then it should resprout but if it's gone then you will have your answer earlier. The branches as they are are just putting stress on the roots, or dying back, so there isn't any advantage waiting until it's dormant ime. I have plenty of sambucus or various varieties and they have thrived this year despite being in a dry part of the country on very free draining soil.