Purpleleaf Sand Cherry

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

6-10 Feet

Mature Spread

5-8 Feet

Growing Zones

2 to 8

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.

SKU:

1231000145-pc