Purpleleaf Plum

Purpleleaf Plum

Prunus cerasifera

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

▲ ▼ trees in summer

▲ ▼ leaves

▲ ▼ flowering trees

▲ flowers

▲ ▼ trunk and bark

Location on or near Missouri State University campus: not known

Purpleleaf Plum (Prunus cerasifera):

Leaves: ovate-elliptic leaves, dark green to purplish in color; 1.5-2.5" long, 2 as wide, often curled backwards, glabrous but pubescent on veins underneath

Stems: slender, dark purple or brown

Bark: dark brown, with horizontal lenticels, fissuring to show reddish brown inner bark with age

Size/Growth Habit: grows 15-30' tall and wide, with rounded to ascending branch outline--dense twigs

Flowers: single white or pinkish flowers with strong sweet fragrance in early spring, before leaves emerge

Fruit: reddish drupe about 1" diameter-- edible

Growing Conditions and Growth Rate: prefers full sun, moist, well-drained soil; fast growth rate

Problems: prone to many diseases, insect attacks--short-lived, up to about 20 years

Similar to 'Canada Red' Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana 'Canada Red'), except 'Canada Red' Chokecherry leaves emerge green, and mature to purple color, and its bark remains fairly smooth and unfurrowed until large, and its flowers are white and in racemes after the leaves emerge; Purpleleaf Plum's leaves emerge purple, the bark furrows with age, and flowers are pink, in axillary clusters before leaves emerge.

Similar also to Purpleleaf Sandcherry (Prunus cistena), except Purpleleaf Sandcherry is more shrub-like, and it flowers after leff emergence, and not before as does Purpleleaf Plum.