TREES > PRUNUS - CERASIFERA
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PURPLE LEAF PLUM GUIDES
Purple - Leaf Plum Tree , Prunus cerasifera , is a wonderful ornamental tree that also has edible fruit .
This Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is a majuscule choice for those who wish to have a beautiful and rich garden – the best of both worlds – since it will look great throughout the year and will also allow for you with an eatable yield .
Purple - leaf cherry plums are extremely prized as garden trees because of their ornamental appeal .
There is a lot of variation in size of it between the metal money ’ cultivar and the accurate hue of the foliage throughout the yr .
Often , the foliage will switch colour significantly from leaping through summer to autumn , giving a beautiful and exciting presentation that is never boring .
Prunus cerasiferais also a great choice because the deep purple fruits are attractive in their own right and can be eat up and enjoyed when ripe.1Prunus cerasifera . ( n.d . ) . Plants for a Future . Retrieved March 23 , 2023 , fromhttps://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Prunus+cerasifera
The small plum have thin skin and many have a deliciously sweet tone , though some are sourer and best misrepresent with sweetener .
In the UK , the fruits are not often borne in big quantities , but large crop can be produced every 4 year or so .
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureExposed or Sheltered
Height8 – 12 M
Spread8 – 12 M
Bloom TimeSpring
PreferredMost fertile land
MoistureMoist but well - drained
pHAny
P. cerasiferais aboriginal to Southeastern Europe and Western Asia , but it has naturalised in the UK , as well as in several other locations in North America and Southeastern Australia.2Cherry Plum ( Prunus cerasifera ) . ( n.d . ) . Woodland Trust . Retrieved March 23 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/cherry-plum/
P. cerasiferais an ancestor of the cultivated plum and , in the wild , arise into small trees which can grow up to around 8 - 12 molar concentration improbable .
This is one of the first European trees to blossom as the peak start to open up from mid - February onwards before the leaves go forth .
These trees are ego - prolific but can also be pollinated by other Prunus variety .
Common Varieties
A routine of cultivars of this species have beenselected for their purple foliage , such as ‘ Atropurpurea ’ , ‘ Pissardi ’ and ‘ Nigra ’ – which also has an RHS Award of Garden Merit .
‘ Thundercloud ’ , with deep red - purple leafage , the slightly small ‘ Krauter Vesuvius ’ , ‘ Newport ’ with bronze purplish leaves which change to red - purple in the fall , and the gnome sort ‘ Purple Pony ’ are some other option to consider .
Where To Grow
over-embellished - leaf plum tree trees involve well - drained yet wet - long soil .
They can cope with some faint shade but will execute proficient and fruit far better in full sunlight .
While ordinarily produce in the ground , smaller cultivar can also potentially be grown in large container .
It is H6 hardy and will easily exist winter shape throughout the UK .
Ideally , these Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree prefer robust and comparatively loamy soil which has an acidic to neutral pH , though they can also get in moderately alkaline condition .
They may fight where the soil is too compacted and , since they are shallow - rooted , should not be grown where these roots will be disrupted .
They can cope with an uncover location but may perform good in a more sheltered website .
These tree diagram are typically grown as support - alone specimen trees in gardens , but they can also be interesting additions to a woodland garden with other Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that have varied and attractive foliage .
Guild Planting
Even when grow as an decorative tree , P. cerasifera , like other fruit tree , will do good from thrifty condition of the industrial plant that fence in it .
produce a society of good companion flora around trees within this genus can serve in organic pest ascendency , beneficial wildlife attracter and keep soil wellness and birth rate .
Like other plum tree and cherries , purple - leaf plum tree require pollinator for a good fruit readiness , so it is especially important to make certain that sufficient pollinator are around early in the twelvemonth when these Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are in flower .
genus Prunus Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can also be prone to pest problems , which can be mitigated at least to a degree by the inclusion of plants which repulse , bedevil or distract them in surround guilds .
How To Plant Purple-Leaf Plums
over-embellished - leafage plum trees can be institute as au naturel - root tree over the dormant period in the late fall , winter or other spring .
Pot - grow trees can also be buy and planted year - one shot , but engraft in passing squiffy or dry condition should be avoided .
Dig a hole turgid enough to accommodate the roots and conceive bestow mycorrhizal fungi , which can help establishment in certain situations.3Mycorrhizal Fungi . ( n.d.-b ) . Science Direct.https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012370605-8.50009-8
check that that the tree is buried to the same depth that it was previously and that a graft stage is above soil floor .
lightly firm the soil around the tree diagram and water it in well .
supply a mulch of organic matter around it , but take care not to mound this around the trunk , as this can stimulate it to molder .
Prunus Cerasifera Care
imperial - leaf plum tree trees require some precaution until they are establish , but afterwards , they can be a dandy choice for a relatively low - maintenance garden .
Water well until the tree becomes established and during keep up periods of drought .
Rainfall will usually be sufficient once the tree diagram has become established .
Mulch should help to retain soil wet and reduce lacrimation demand .
Replenish the constitutive mulch each natural spring for slow - dismissal fertility .
Consider tot up order plants to hack and drop ( such ascomfrey , for example ) .
Tree grow in the reason are improbable to need extra feeding , though when growing smaller cultivars in pots , some organic liquidity provender may keep the tree in optimum wellness .
P. cerasifera , like other plums and cherries , are advantageously pruned thinly , and may not want much pruning at all .
intemperately pruning is not usually a upright idea and any pruning that is undertaken should be undertaken after harvest in a dry week but not during drouth conditions , which will normally be in June to September in the UK .
by and by pruning can increase the likeliness of silver folio and other fungous infections .
As mention above , Prunus can benefit from companion planting for natural pest control .
Fungal and bacterial disease are also common event for these tree , which may be affected by pouch plum , bacterial canker , bloom wilt , dark-brown rot and smooth-spoken leafage .
“ The fungal disease silver leaf ( Chondrostereum purpureum ) is the primary reason we dress during summertime in dry ( not drouth ) experimental condition , as the spores are not normally present in a ironical June to September summertime , ” shares Master Horticulturist Dan Ori .
Keep the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree as salubrious as potential to reduce the chances of a problematic infection by maintain fertility , receive pee indigence and lop lightly and at the correct metre .
Remain wakeful and remove any infected material as soon as it becomes evident to slim down the chances of its spread .
While it is not the most long - lasting tree diagram you could choose for your garden , the purple - foliage plum tree tree ’s attractive leafage and appeal fruit mean that this can still be a great pick in many options .
