Description
Prunus
on bare wood in early spring produces small but numerous white/pinkish flowers and then purple leaves fill in
deciduous
blooms in mid spring
comes in 3 and 5 gallon pots
P. x cistena – Purpleleaf Sand Cherry – Red Leaf Plum – This slow growing, weak stemmed, upright deciduous shrub is a cross between P. cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’ and P. Pumila grows 5-8′ feet tall and 5′ feet wide. It produces serrated edged, oval, red purple leaves, to 2 ½” long, that are red when young. In mid spring it bears solitary or paired, bowl shaped white flowers, they are sometimes followed by spherical, cherry like, deep purple fruit, 3/4″ across.
Grow in any moist but well drained, moderately fertile, humus enriched soil, deciduous species and cultivars in full sun. Trim deciduous hedges after flowering. Protect from strong wind. Feed with high nitrogen fertilizer. Few are drought tolerant.
Zones 3-8
