Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
Purpleleaf Sandcherry, Dwarf Red-Leaf Plum, or Prunus X Cistena is a dainty, multi-stemmed shrub with intense, new leaf foliage in deep purple to burgundy shades that matures to a coppery purple and stays through the summer. In the spring, it flowers with fragrant single pink blooms on spindly branches, offering a striking contrast to the deeper colors of the foliage. It may also produce small, deep-purple fruit. Growing to a height of 6 to 10 feet, with a spread of 5 to 8 feet, the Purpleleaf Sandcherry is top pick for growers looking for intoxicating fragrance and beautiful foliage.
Native to Western Asia and the Northeastern United States, the Purpleleaf Sandcherry is a quick growing, and will form in a natural, rounded shape. The Purpleleaf is a favorite of birds, who love to make nests within its dense branches. It is an urban tolerant plant that is adaptive and colorful. It is very hardy and tolerates both cold and hot temperatures, and is deer resistant.
Purpleleaf Sand Cherry Care
This beautiful Sandcherry needs a minimum of four hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive. Full sun and partial shade are the best choices. Purpleleaf is tolerant of poor and sandy soil, but prefers acidic, moist, and well-drained soils. It is not drought-tolerant. Sandcherry is a member of the rose family, and as such is susceptible to several diseases like trunk canker, and pests like borers and Japanese beetles. Watch your tree for signs of distress in mid to late summer.
You can prune your Purpleleaf Sandcherry as a single-trunked tree, or multi-stemmed shrub. If you want your Sandcherry to have a single trunk, instead of the traditional multi-stems, start when the tree is young by pruning the root suckers as they appear, immediately following flowering. Branches should also be removed if they are heavy or weighing the plant down. The gray-brown trunk of the Sandcherry is prone to fissuring and can occasionally ooze sap.
Purpleleaf Sand Cherry Spacing
Excellent for urban borders as well as small patios, Purpleleaf Sandcherry can be planted as a deciduous hedge, or en masse in areas that need contrasting color.
Purpleleaf Sand Cherry Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 2 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Full Sun (6+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 6-10 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 5-8 Feet
- Growth Rate
- Fast
- Growth Habit
- , Upright, Mounded
- Water Needs
- Average
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Pink, White
- Flower Description
- Light Pink, White
- Bloom Time
- Mid-Spring
- Blooms On
-
Old Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Right after flowering
- Foliage Color
- , Purple, Red
- Foliage Description
- Purple, Red
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Spring Flowering, 3 Season Interest, Fall Interest
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Purpleleaf Sand Cherry
- Also Known As
- Purple Leaf Sand Cherry, Purpleleaf Sandcherry
- Botanical Name
- PRUNUS CISTENA
- Plant Type
- Tree
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
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