Plum trees with purple leaves: Purple-Leaf Plum Trees – Growing, Care, & 6 Common Varieties
How to Grow and Care for Purpleleaf Plum Tree
The purpleleaf plum tree (Prunus cerasifera), also known as the cherry plum, is a popular flowering specimen tree for home landscapes. It requires a bit of maintenance yet gardeners love it for its beautiful spring flowers and rich leaf coloring.
It is a relatively small tree with a rounded growth habit. It produces fragrant, five-petaled, pale pink to white flowers in the spring that are roughly an inch across, which then turn into small fruits. The elliptical leaves can range in color from purple to green. Depending on the climate, the tree can lose its leaves relatively early for a deciduous tree, as early as late August or September.
This tree has a moderate growth rate of about one to two feet per year. It’s best planted in the early spring or fall. It is a larval host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus).
The stems, leaves, and seeds contain cyanide and are toxic, especially in the process of wilting; they are mildly toxic to humans, and toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.
| Common Names | Purpleleaf plum, cherry plum |
| Botanical Name | Prunus cerasifera |
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Plant Type | Tree |
| Mature Size | 15–25 ft. tall, 15–25 ft. wide |
| Sun Exposure | Full, partial |
| Soil Type | Loamy, well-drained |
| Soil pH | Acidic, neutral |
| Bloom Time | Spring |
| Flower Color | Pink, white |
| Hardiness Zones | 4–9 (USDA) |
| Native Area | Europe, Asia |
| Toxicity | Toxic to humans, toxic to pets. |
Purpleleaf Plum Care
Here are the main care requirements for growing a purpleleaf plum tree:
- Plant the tree in a location that gets full sun.
- Water your tree throughout the growing season (spring to fall) if rainfall is insufficient.
- Fertilize the tree annually in the spring.
- Prune it lightly after flowering to maintain its shape.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
S.G.S. / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
Light
This tree grows best in full sun. Six to eight hours of sunlight per day results in the most vibrant purple leaf color. If the tree is planted in a location that’s too shady, its leaves lose their purple color and can become green.
Soil
The purpleleaf plum likes loamy soil with excellent drainage and an acidic to neutral soil pH (5.0 to 7.0). It also can tolerate clay and sandy soil. It does not tolerate compacted soil or pollution and will struggle to grow in urban conditions.
Water
This tree prefers a moderate amount of soil moisture.
Once it’s established, it does have some drought tolerance. It likely will need extra waterings during long stretches without rainfall or in extreme summer heat.
Temperature and Humidity
The purpleleaf plum can grow in a climate with cold winters and hot summers. It’s hardy down to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit and can handle the high summer temperatures within its growing zones if it’s adequately watered. Humidity also is typically not an issue.
Fertilizer
This tree likes moderately rich soil. Fertilize annually in the spring as new growth begins with an all-purpose fertilizer, following the product label instructions. If your soil is rich and fertile, you might only need to fertilize every two to three years.
Types of Purpleleaf Plum
There are several varieties of Prunus cerasifera, including:
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’: This variety features deep reddish-purple leaves.
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius’: This variety looks similar to ‘Thundercloud’ but has even darker spring foliage and grows slightly smaller.
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Newport’: The leaves on this tree are a bronze-purple in the spring, deep purple in the summer, and reddish-purple in the fall.
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’: This tree has bronze leaves in the spring, very dark purple leaves in the summer, and orange-red leaves in the fall.
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Purple Pony’: This is a dwarf variety that only reaches around 10 to 12 feet in height and spread.
Pruning
Purpleleaf plum doesn’t need an excessive amount of pruning each year except for maintaining the desired shape. Prune after the tree has flowered or you might remove next year’s flower buds. Dead, damaged, or diseased branches can be removed any time of year.
Propagating Purpleleaf Plum
If you have the patience, rather than buying a sapling or young tree from a nursery, you can propagate purpleleaf plum from softwood cuttings:
- In the spring when the first flower buds appear, cut a shoot about 1/8 inch in diameter and six inches long with a sharp, clean knife. Remove all leaves except for the top three or four.
- Dip the cut end in rooting hormone and plant it in a four-inch pot filled with damp potting mix.
- Keep the cutting in indirect light outdoors and water it regularly. New growth is a sign that roots are forming.
- Before planting it in the landscape, let the potted sapling grow for a couple of seasons, transplanting it to a larger pot if necessary. The stronger the sapling when you transplant it, the better its chance of survival.
Remove all leaves except for the top three or four.The tree is native to Asia but most purpleleaf plums are cultivars. Growing them from seed is not recommended, because it won’t produce a tree true to type.
Potting and Repotting
Purpleleaf plum is a small-to-medium-sized specimen tree that is meant to be planted outdoors in the landscape and is not suitable for growing in containers.
Overwintering
Purpleleaf plum is hardy to USDA zone 4 and does not require winter protection.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
The tree is susceptible to a large number of pests and diseases.
Even though ensuring proper growing conditions and good airflow among the branches can help prevent many problems, this is definitely one of the cons of planting a purpleleaf plum tree. It also affects its lifespan. The purpleleaf plum is a relatively short-lived tree, lasting only around 20 years.
Insects that might infest the tree include Japanese beetles, mealybugs, borers, tent caterpillars, and scales.
Common diseases include leaf spot, gray mold, black knot, and cankers. Symptoms of pests and diseases include discolored, wilted, or otherwise damaged foliage, along with poor growth and flowering.
How to Get Purpleleaf Plum to Bloom
If your tree isn’t blooming, it could be due to a cold snap after unseasonably warm weather in the late winter or early spring, which damages the buds. Another possibility is improper pruning in the spring when you accidentally removed the flower buds.
Bloom Months
Purpleleaf plum blooms between late April and early May depending on the zone where it’s planted and weather conditions.
How long does Purpleleaf Plum Bloom?
The length of the bloom also depends on weather and typically lasts one week and up to two weeks. Purpleleaf plums sold at a nurseries or garden center are several years old and you can expect them to bloom the first year.
What Do Purpleleaf Plum Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The small flowers are pinkish-white and saucer-shaped with red calyxes and 4 to 5 petals. The flowers are fragrant and almond-scented.
How to Encourage More Blooms
Taking proper care of your tree is key for it to bloom. Make sure it gets the full sun exposure it needs, and keep it watered and moderately fertilized,
Caring for Purpleleaf Plum After It Blooms
If you need to shape your tree, it is important that you prune the tree as soon as possible after the tree has bloomed. Purple leaf plum starts developing the buds for next year’s bloom after flowering and the longer you wait, the likelier it is that you will accidentally remove next season’s flower buds.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/PurpleSmokeBush-GettyImages-519408106-6e775011eb8f4c3e9017551ece8feeb7.jpg)
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Prunus Cerasifera. North Carolina State University Extension.
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Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Plum. ASPCA.
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Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’. NC State University Cooperative Extension.
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Plum Prunus. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’ (Atropurpurea Flowering Plum, Purple-leaf Cherry Plum, Purpleleaf Plum, Purple Leaved Plum)
Plant Detail
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- Similar but less problematic plants:
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Malus hybrids
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Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summer Wine’
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Sambucus nigra
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’ is often confused with:
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Prunus cerasifera
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Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’
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Prunus x yedoensis
- Native alternative(s) for Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’:
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Cercis canadensis
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Chionanthus virginicus
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Cornus florida
- Plants that fill a similar niche:
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Aesculus sylvatica
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Ligustrum japonicum
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Nerium oleander
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’ has some common insect problems:
- Aphids on Ornamental Landscape Plants
- Caterpillars That Feed on Trees and Shrubs
- Armored Scale Identification and Management on Ornamental Plants
- American Plum Borer in Ornamentals
Common Name(s):
- Atropurpurea Flowering Plum
- Purple-leaf Cherry Plum
- Purpleleaf Plum
- Purple Leaved Plum
Previously known as:
- Prunus cerasifera ‘Pisardii’
Flower close-up
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Tree in bloom
KENPEI
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Form
Javier martin
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Leaves and flower
KENPEI
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Fruit and leaves
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features, varieties and growing conditions
Mon, 06/11/2017 – 12:49 | Comments: 0 | Author: OLCHUKS
Most varieties of plums are valued for their tasty and healthy fruits. But there are species that are also used to decorate the garden. These are varieties that are distinguished by bright flowering or an unusual red-purple color of the leaves.
Contents:
- Types of red-leaved plum
- Plum splayed
- Russian plum
- Plum Hollywood
- Cultivation of red-leaved plum
Varieties of red-leaved plums
Red-leaved plum varieties include:
- Scattered.
- Russian plum.
- Hollywood is a medium-early table variety.
The red-leaved plum will brighten up any area where it is planted. But placing a large number of such trees nearby is not worth it. Usually one tall tree with red leaves is planted on the site.
Their dark leaves beautifully set off trees with light green (apple, willow, sycamore) or silvery (sea buckthorn, sucker) leaves. Looks good against the backdrop of evergreen conifers. In the case of planting dwarf plums, you can form a hedge from them.
Plum splayed
Plum splayed is a tall tree with fast fruiting. The first fruits appear already in the second year of life. In wild varieties, they are small and sour; in cultivated varieties, they are larger, up to 60 g. About 40 kg of plums can be obtained from one tree. The crown is spreading.
Among the splayed plums there are varieties with red leaves, including:
- Pissardi. Plum red-leaved Pissardi, or red-leaved cherry plum, originally from Iran. The tree grows up to 6 m in height. It has red shoots and dark purple leaves. They become so in the spring, after bud break, they remain the same until autumn. Flower buds open before leaves. Pissardi plum flowers are large, pink. Plum bears fruit abundantly, sour fruits ripen in August. If they are not removed, they can hang on branches until autumn. At this time, the leaves turn bright red. Frost resistance is average. A tree in the southern regions can live up to a hundred years. It is almost not damaged by diseases, only aphids are afraid of pests. Plum Pissard is widespread in the Black Sea region, where it is used for landscaping. It tolerates drought well and can grow in any soil. It is not possible to grow in regions with frosty winters, the plants freeze out.
- Hessey. Plum splayed red-leaved Hessey of short stature. This is a shrub form. Valued for the beautiful leaves of the original color. Immediately after blooming, they are green, as they develop, they become purple. An uneven border of pink or cream color forms on the leaves. At the end of April, the Hessey plum blossoms with white flowers. Blooms for about 2 weeks. The variety is affected by fungal diseases of perforated and black spot. It has low frost resistance. I cover young plants for the winter. The splayed plum reproduces, like all trees, by grafting, budding and green cuttings.
- Cysten. Dwarf plum Cystena obtained by crossing Pissardi plum and sand cherry. It grows up to 2 m, each year increasing only one and a half centimeters. It is a shrub with a columnar crown shape. The leaves are toothed, shiny, glossy, ovate. They are red-violet above, dark purple below. The flowers are white with a red center. The fruits are purple. Apply plum to form a hedge. Plum tolerates pruning well, which allows you to create bushes of various shapes. The leaves are firmly attached to the branches until late autumn. Young shoots can freeze in winter during severe frosts. In the spring they are cut, and the bush does not lose its decorative effect. By crossing the Pissardi plum with American and Chinese species of this plant, scientists have obtained varieties with red leaves that are resistant to frost.
The tree grows up to 6 m in height. It has red shoots and dark purple leaves. They become so in the spring, after bud break, they remain the same until autumn. Flower buds open before leaves. Pissardi plum flowers are large, pink. Plum bears fruit abundantly, sour fruits ripen in August. If they are not removed, they can hang on branches until autumn. At this time, the leaves turn bright red. Frost resistance is average. A tree in the southern regions can live up to a hundred years. It is almost not damaged by diseases, only aphids are afraid of pests. Plum Pissard is widespread in the Black Sea region, where it is used for landscaping. It tolerates drought well and can grow in any soil. It is not possible to grow in regions with frosty winters, the plants freeze out. 
An uneven border of pink or cream color forms on the leaves. At the end of April, the Hessey plum blossoms with white flowers. Blooms for about 2 weeks. The variety is affected by fungal diseases of perforated and black spot. It has low frost resistance. I cover young plants for the winter. The splayed plum reproduces, like all trees, by grafting, budding and green cuttings. 
By crossing the Pissardi plum with American and Chinese species of this plant, scientists have obtained varieties with red leaves that are resistant to frost. Not only leaves, but also young plum shoots are red. The younger they are, the brighter their colors. Over time, the shoots turn brown.
Russian plum
Russian plum or red-leaved cherry plum obtained by crossing heat-loving cherry plum with frost-resistant varieties of plums. When creating hybrids, Ussuri and Chinese plums were used.
As a result, varieties bearing the name Russian plum were obtained. These include:
- Early. Plum red-leaved Early reaches a height of 7 m. The crown is round, the leaves with a serrated edge are oblong, about 6 cm long. They are brown on top and red on the bottom. Propagated by grafting, budding and green cuttings.
- Scarlet Sails. Plum Russian Scarlet Sails blooms with dark pink flowers. This is a medium late variety. The fruits ripen in mid-August. They are small, weighing about 25 g each. The color is dark crimson. The pulp is red, juicy, fragrant, sweet and sour taste.
- Lama. Plum Lama is a semi-dwarf hybrid bred for cultivation in the north of the middle lane. It is successfully grown in the Khabarovsk Territory and the Far East. The tree withstands frosts down to -35°C in winter, and flowers and leaves can survive for a short time when the temperature drops to -7°C. The height of the tree is 1.3-2 m. The crown is flat-round. Shoots grow actively, thickening the crown. Therefore, periodically it is necessary to carry out shaping pruning. Shoots crossing and growing inside the crown are removed. You can not get them off the ring, but leave branches 7-10 cm long. Flower buds will form on them next year. Green pruning is carried out according to the same principle. It is better than spring in that wounds heal faster without harming the tree.
They are small, weighing about 25 g each. The color is dark crimson. The pulp is red, juicy, fragrant, sweet and sour taste. Hybrids are not afraid of winter frosts. Therefore, they can be grown in the middle lane.
Varieties combine the advantages of cherry plum and plum:
- Practically not affected by diseases and pests, aggressive natural factors.
- The taste of the fruit is much better than that of cherry plum.
- Fruiting is stable.
- Give a high yield.
- Not afraid of drought.
- Grow on any soil.
Hollywood Plum
Hollywood Plum with round fruits is a winter-hardy variety of medium ripening. The pulp is yellow, tender, juicy, fragrant, the skin is thin, marble-like, easily removed from the fruit. Weight 35 g. Tree of medium height, with a rare drooping crown.
Shoots are straight, the number of leaves on them is small. The leaves are red, on a long thin petiole. Double flowers, white petals. High-yielding table variety that can be used as an ornamental.
Growing redleaf plum
It is difficult to formulate general growing conditions for such different varieties. But they differ mainly in frost resistance.
The site for the red-leaved plum should be taken with neutral acidity. Growing nettle, chamomile, coltsfoot will point to him. It is better to cover the site with clover, bluegrass, bent grass. The fruits that fall from the tree will not break. Weeds will not grow in this area. The depth of groundwater is one and a half meters.
Seedlings are best taken with an open root system.
This way you can immediately see the possible defects of the root: thickening, deformation, unevenness or injury. When buying seedlings with a closed root system, look at the drainage hole. Young roots should peep out of it. If they are not, it is dangerous to take such a tree.
One-year-old or two-year-old seedlings with an open root system are bought in autumn. Transported, wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in polyethylene. In the southern regions they are planted in the fall, in the northern regions they are added dropwise at an angle for storage until spring.
Potted seedlings can be bought and planted in May-early June.
Features of planting a seedling:
- In autumn or a couple of weeks before planting, pits are prepared with a depth of 60 cm and a radius of 50 cm. Mix the excavated earth, 0.5 kg of superphosphate, 2-3 buckets of humus. Fill the prepared hole to half the height. She sags until the seedling is planted. If this is not done, the soil will sag after planting, pulling the roots of the plant with it and cutting them off.
- Prepare seedling immediately before planting. It is soaked in a clay mash, to which 2 tablets of the heteroauxin root former are added.
- Set the seedling in the hole, straighten the roots. In the southern regions, the root neck is set at the level of the pit, in the northern regions it is deepened by 3 cm. This will allow the tree to grow after possible freezing.
- Place a peg next to the tree for tying. Sprinkle the root system with the remaining soil. Watered, compacted. Tie the plant with twine to a peg. She will hold the plum for the first years until the trunk gets stronger.
- Pruning is carried out, shortening the branches by a third. This will cause side shoots to grow.
- Mulch around the trunk to keep moisture in the root system. As mulch, use humus, mowed grass or even dry earth 10 cm thick.
Tie the plant with twine to a peg. She will hold the plum for the first years until the trunk gets stronger. More information can be found in the video:
Category:Trees | Plum
Red-leaved plum: description, varieties, photos, reviews.
Red-leaved plum is an ornamental crop, which is interesting not only for its appearance, but also for its interesting-tasting fruits. Gardeners, choosing trees for the garden, first of all pay attention to fruiting.
But time passes, and there is a need for beauty. And here the red-leaved plum comes to the rescue. The red-purple foliage of the spreading, tall plum will stand out from the rest of the trees, while the purple crown of the short and squat varieties looks good in the hedge.
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Pissardi red-leaf plum: origin story
Pissardi red-leaf plum, known among gardeners as the splayed plum, cherry plum, belongs to the Rosaceae family. Her plums are similar to cherries, only larger in size.
In nature, it can be found in Western Asia, Western Georgia, Adjara and Abkhazia. Homeland – Iran. The first information about the plum came from Elie-Adel Carrier, a French botanist.
The name Pissardi is derived from Pissard, a famous botanist. In 1878 he brought a plum from Iran to Paris.
Red-leaved plum varieties
Beautiful red-leaved plum foliage sets off light green-leaved trees. It opens in all its splendor against the backdrop of coniferous trees.
Plum splayed
Plum splayed is characterized by tallness. Fruits in the second year after planting. Among the spreading crown, large fruits ripen, weighing up to 60 g. The splayed plum includes 3 varieties.
Pissardi
Red-leaved plums
Red-leafed plums have deep purple shoots. Before the foliage blooms, flower buds open. Fruiting is abundant, the fruits hang on the branches for a long time. The variety is characterized by medium frost resistance. Resistant to diseases, from pests – susceptible to attack by aphids. Not suitable for growing in regions with frosty winters – Pissardi disappears during the cold period.
Cystena
Plum Red-leaved cystena is obtained by crossing 2 varieties: sand cherry with red-leaved Pissardi plum. Differs in low growth, grows slowly, adding only 1.5 cm per year. The surface of the leaf plates is colored red-violet, the wrong side is dark purple. It blooms with snow-white flowers, the middle is painted red. Purple plums. The variety is not resistant to severe frosts. The tree is suitable for creating a hedge, easily tolerates a haircut. If the lower shoots freeze during the winter, they should be removed during the formation of the crown. Basically, if the tree is not severely damaged, it is easily restored. Shoots are purplish red when young, turning brown over time.
Nigra
Redleaf Nigra Plum Popular among gardeners. A variety of splayed plum is characterized by an excellent combination of decorative and taste qualities. The purple crown is decorated with juicy, liquid plums.
The grade is suitable for cultivation in any climatic conditions.
Hessey
A variety of splayed plum has a short stature. Rather, it looks like a shrub form. Gained popularity due to the original color of the foliage. The leaves are green when they open, turning purple over time. Along the edge of the plates there is a clearly visible border, painted in cream or pink. Flowering lasts 2 weeks. Hessey is prone to diseases such as black spot and perforated spot. Frost resistance is low.
Russian plum
The variety was obtained as a result of selection work – heat-loving varieties of plums were crossed with frost-resistant ones. Chinese and Ussuri trees were taken as a parent pair.
Scarlet Sails
Red-leaved plum Scarlet Sails refers to a variety of medium ripening. Dark pink flowers bloom in spring. The harvest is in mid-August. The pulp of small fruits is colored red, the skin is raspberry.
The berries are fragrant, the taste is sweet and sour.
Early
Tall tree with trunk height up to 7 m, round crown. The leaves are oblong, red below, brown above. Can be propagated by non-lignified cuttings, budding, grafting.
Lama
Red-leaved plum Lama – hybrid semi-dwarf form. Recommended for zoning in the Khabarovsk Territory. The variety is resistant to frost, can tolerate a decrease in temperature down to -35 ° C. Foliage and flowers withstand a short drop in temperature to -7 ° C. A low-growing tree with a flat-rounded crown. Since there is an active growth of shoots, pruning should be carried out regularly to prevent thickening of the crown.
Advantages:
- pleasant fruit taste, better than cherry plum;
- drought tolerant;
- high yield;
- stable fruiting;
Variety Lama responds well to spring and autumn pruning, stably endures severe frosts.
Hollywood plum
Hollywood red-leaf plum
Hollywood red-leaf plum belongs to variety of medium maturity. The pulp of rounded fruits is colored yellow, very tender. The thin skin is easily chewed, it can be easily removed from the fruit. The weight of one plum is 35 g. The tree is medium, the crown is drooping.
Medium foliage. Red leaves are attached to straight shoots with thin petioles. Petals are white, flowers are double. Can be grown as an ornamental variety or used as a table variety.
Red-leaved plum: variety description, photos, reviews
Red-leaved plum description varieties, the appearance of the plant makes this culture well recognizable among all other ornamental crops.
Description
An ornamental shrub is grafted onto a slender trunk. From afar, the dense spreading crown, which is made up of young red shoots, attracts the eye.
The bark of the trunk is brown.
Note!
Medium-sized tree reaches a height of 5-9 meters. But it can grow up to 12 m in height. The annual growth of shoots is 20-23 cm.
Elliptical leaves of red or crimson color with a metallic tinge are arranged alternately on the shoots. Leaf color does not change during the growing season. The length of the leaf plate is 4-7 cm.
Are the fruits of the Pissardi variety edible?
The tree is fruitful. Dark cherry drupes in diameter reach 3 cm, weigh from 20 g to 30 g. Inside the fruit is an oblong bone. Ripening occurs in mid-August. Fruit does not fall from the tree until October.
Taste for an amateur – tart-sour. Despite such negative taste, the fruits contain micro and macro elements, vitamins and other useful substances.
Pissardi red-leaved plum
Attention!
Pissardi plums have gained wide popularity in medicine.
Fruits are rich in vitamins, cleanse the body of toxins, remove excess substances, increase appetite, and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. In addition, plums are popular with cosmetologists, as skin scrubs and masks for facial rejuvenation are made on their basis.
Flowering time
Flowering time is April. In the middle of the month, the ornamental tree is covered with pale pink flowers, each of which has 5 petals. The red-leaved variety blooms even before the foliage blooms. Blooms with foliage.
By the end of flowering, the flowers turn dark red. The stamens are bright crimson, the flowers are 2.5 cm in diameter. The buds thin out a pleasant aroma.
Frost and drought tolerance
Red-leaved plum grows well in temperate climates. An ornamental tree copes more easily with a short drought than with constantly moist soil. Therefore, it is forbidden to plant next to an artificial pond./trees-and-shrubs-with-purple-leaves-3269731-v2-FINAL-5c2ce0adc9e77c0001cce0ba.png)
Attention!
Cherry plum does not tolerate low temperatures, so planting should be carried out in an open sunny area.
Red-leaved plum in landscape design
Due to their rich purple foliage, varietal varieties are used to create various landscape compositions in landscape design. It is used as a contrast. The plant looks good against the background of green foliage of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs.
Designers use Pissardi’s red-leaved plum variety to decorate the territory of country residences, to ennoble gardens, to create compositions in oriental style, to plant greenery in the city. Plum is good as a tapeworm, popular in group planting. Special charming compositions are obtained against the background of cypress and acacia.
Ornamental red-leaf plum: planting rules
Ornamental red-leaf plum
It is better to plant a decorative-leaf plum in spring, until the buds swell – in April.
In autumn, seedlings are planted in a permanent place before the onset of frost – in September.
Interesting to know!
The red-leaved Pissardi plum lives about 100 years. He loves the open sun and does not tolerate the neighborhood, so it is preferable to plant it solitary.
When planting red-leaved varieties, the level of groundwater plays an important role. A suitable site for growing a variety will be one on which the water level is from 1.5 m. With a closer location of the waters, it is required to lay a drainage layer of expanded clay, pebbles or improvised means on the bottom of the hole.
Start preparing the planting hole 14 days before the planned planting. The diameter of the hole should be 70 cm, with a hole depth of 50 cm. Fertile soil mixed with humus is laid on top of the expanded clay layer.
Now you need to set up a stake to secure the plant. The stake should be next to the tree on the north side. When planting a seedling into the ground, it is important to take into account that the root neck should not be hidden in the substrate, but ideally should be 3-4 cm above the soil.
After planting, the root system is leveled and sprinkled with fertile soil. The hole is filled to the top, trampled down, the trunk is fixed to the peg. After planting, the seedling is watered abundantly, the soil in the near-stem circle is covered with mulching material.
Please note!
If you plan to plant several copies, it is customary to leave 2 m between seedlings. The same distance should be observed between the red-leaved plum and other fruit trees so that each of them receives a sufficient amount of nutrients.
Redleaf plum care
The tree is considered unpretentious, easily adapts to new conditions of keeping. Caring for the red-leaved plum is no different from caring for other fruit trees.
However, it is worth knowing that this culture also has its own preferences.
Ornamental red-leaved plum
Watering
When caring for ornamental trees, watering should not be neglected, even taking into account the fact that plums can do without water for a long time.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Pissardiplum-GettyImages-1139899636-d747a9b5f3b34b4d838a89aa58fd6b83.jpg)
Once every 7 days, abundant watering is carried out. Under the trunk of one copy, you will need to pour 40-60 liters of water.
Fertilization
Young seedlings in the first year of planting do not need top dressing, as they were originally planted in fertile soil.
Fertilizers are applied starting from the 2nd year. In spring, fertilizers containing potassium are applied under the trees, sodium humate – potassium magnesia, potassium monophosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate. In the summer, they are fed with a complex fertilizer with a predominance of phosphorus, and in the fall, the emphasis is on nitrogen fertilizing. Shortly before the first frosts, it is recommended to use 5 liters of humus for 1 m 2 plantings.
Soil cultivation in the trunk circle
Soil maintenance in the trunk circle should be regular. Around ornamental trees, it is necessary to loosen the soil, remove weeds. Cherry plum needs to be mulched.
The procedure is carried out in spring and autumn.
Mulching in the spring is necessary to quickly warm the ground. The faster the soil warms up, the faster the root system will begin to work. From the mulch, the tree will receive the necessary nutrients.
Use compost or rotted manure as mulching material. With the onset of the first frost, re-mulching is carried out. Such an event will help to survive the frosty winter easier.
Weeds are removed during soil loosening. The process of loosening the soil provides air access to the root system.
Attention!
Due to the fact that the red-leaved plum has a superficial root system, it is necessary to provide oxygen access to the roots for normal development.
Formative pruning and undergrowth removal
Ornamental plum tree needs shaping and sanitary pruning. The first is carried out in order to give the crown a decorative shape.
Pruning and removal of plum shoots
Both pruning is carried out in the spring.
During sanitary pruning, shoots damaged by pests and diseases, as well as dried branches, are removed. At the same time, excess growth is removed. It is completely unnecessary, as it prevents the plant from receiving nutrients and fully developing.
If any disease is detected, sanitary pruning is carried out immediately, regardless of the season. During the procedure, diseased branches are removed to save plantings from death.
Preparing for wintering
Considering that the red-leaved plum is a heat-loving crop, it is recommended to carry out thorough preparation for winter. The procedure is necessary so that the trees survive the harsh winter and do not freeze.
In autumn it is necessary to carry out moisture charging and mulch the soil around the tree trunks. In addition, the stem of the plant is covered with non-woven material, wrapped with straw or sprinkled with peat.
Advantages and disadvantages of cherry plum
Red-leaved varieties have their advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
- early flowering;
- unique appearance;
- decorative qualities;
- landscape decoration;
- a bright spot in the area;
- low maintenance;
- disease resistance.
Cherry plum is afraid of gusty winds, not resistant to cold and frost. The cultivation of the red-leaved plum will most likely be for decorative purposes, but not as a fruit crop. The fact is that the fruits do not have high taste qualities, therefore they do not claim to be a fruit variety.
But don’t be upset, because the colorful plum is ready to decorate any suburban area with its chic foliage. Purple foliage will set off any culture. Moreover, caring for a decorative leaf beauty is as easy as shelling pears.
Red-leaved plum: propagation
Ornamental culture propagated:
- by seeds;
- by inoculation;
- root growth;
- root cuttings.
Red-leaved plum
Seed propagation – step by step instructions:
- In order to obtain high-quality planting material, you need to select mature fruits, separate the seeds from the pulp, soak in water for 4 days, changing the water from time to time.
- Dry and store in a glass jar.
- Stratification. Seeds should be mixed with wet peat or sawdust, placed in a container and sent to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for six months.
- In the middle of spring, the seeds are taken out of the refrigerator and planted in open ground.
At the end of April or at the beginning of May the trees should be grafted. The procedure can be carried out either by a kidney or by cuttings.
In autumn, it is recommended to cut off the root connecting the mother specimen with the root shoot. With the onset of spring, the seedling is dug out of the ground and transplanted to a permanent place.
An interesting method of propagation and a very unusual one – by root cuttings. To do this, you need to dig up the roots with dimensions: length – 15 cm, thickness – 1.5 cm. Extraction of roots from the ground should take place at a distance: from an adult specimen – 1.5 m, from a young seedling – 1 m.
Planting material is stored in two ways:
- in a trench, sprinkled with sand and peat;
- in the cellar in a container with moss and sawdust.
With the onset of May, the cuttings are planted under a film cover. The ideal soil for planting is 3 parts peat, 1 part coarse sand. After the cuttings are buried in the soil, they should be sprinkled with sawdust.
Attention!
Cuttings need shade from the hot sun to develop well.
As a result of inspection of planting material, only the strongest cuttings are left, the rest are thrown away.
Organics, chicken manure, slurry are used as fertilizers.
Red-leaved plum : diseases and pests
Red-leaved plum is characterized by high resistance to various diseases and pests. Sometimes ornamental culture is susceptible to:
- fruit moth;
- green leaflet;
- tissue necrosis;
- powdery mildew.
If traces of pests or the first signs of disease are found on the tree, all damaged shoots will have to be removed, removed away from the site and burned.