Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea'
Common name:
Atropurpurea Flowering Plum
Pronunciation:
PROO-nus ser-as-IF-er-a
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Deciduous tree, small, 15-20 ft (4.5-6 m), similar width, shrubby, twiggy and rounded Single white to pinkish flowers (paler than 'Thundercloud', see comparison), flowers appear before, leaves; purplish foliage.
- Sun. Any average soil, well-drained. Prune after flowering to keep trees vigorous.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 5
- This was the first "purple leaf plum" and it was widely popular in the U.S. after its introduction in the late 1880s. It was discovered in Persia (Iran) and sent to France. The original clone had white flowers, not pink, and its leaves were not as dark purple as some sold under this name today. Jacobson (1996) points out that seedlings, sports, and later imports from Persia have all contributed to an uncertainty as to the characteristics of the original clone.
Click image to enlarge
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plant habit, flowering
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flowering branches
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flowering branches, comparison
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flowers
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flower
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leaves at petal fall
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leafy shoot, July
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leafy shoot, August
