Purple Leaf Flowering Plum

Purple Leaf Flowering Plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra') is a deciduous tree grown for colour rather than crop. It reaches about 5m tall and 3.5m wide, and the leaves open bronze then hold deep burgundy all summer before turning red in autumn. Pale pink blossom covers the bare branches in late winter.

Why you'll love it

• Colour for eight months, not two weeks. Most flowering trees give a brief show. This one holds deep purple foliage all season.
• Blossom on bare wood. Soft pink flowers open in late winter before the leaves return, so it earns its place at the dullest point of the year.
• The right scale for a suburban block. At roughly 5m by 3.5m it casts useful shade over a seat or a lawn without swallowing a small garden.
• Tough once established. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and drought tolerant after two seasons, which suits cold inland gardens and dry Mediterranean ones alike.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single tree in a lawn or front garden reads as a block of colour for most of the year. Underplant with something low and green so the purple stays the focus.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees about 4m apart along a drive. Any closer and the crowns crowd, which spoils the shape that makes this tree worth growing.

Shade. The canopy is open enough to sit under while still letting light reach the beds below.

Growing Purple Leaf Flowering Plum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. In part shade the purple washes out to a muddy bronze and flowering thins. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, where winter cold sets the blossom.

Soil. Any reasonably drained soil suits it, from light sand to clay loam. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot, break up the sides and work compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers. After that it copes with dry spells and only needs help in a long drought. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Prune in late winter, straight after flowering. Remove crossing branches and anything growing inwards, and lift the lowest limbs if you want to walk or mow underneath.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in 250mm packs of three, 300mm and 400mm pots, and advanced 45L and 100L sizes. The 300mm and 400mm plants arrive as young lightly branched trees, roughly waist to chest height. The 45L and 100L trees carry a formed head and give shade within a season or two.

Because it is deciduous, a tree despatched between late autumn and late winter will arrive bare. That is normal, not a fault. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the deciduous tree range
• Plants grown for autumn colour
• Choosing trees for lining a driveway
• The best time to plant a tree in Australia

Common questions

Does it produce fruit?

Sometimes, and lightly. Small dark plums can set after a heavy flowering; they are edible but tart, and mostly of interest to birds. Buy it for the foliage and blossom, not as a fruit tree.

Will it perform in a subtropical garden?

Not well. It needs winter chill to flower properly, so it belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean districts. Further north the blossom is sparse and the purple colouring is weaker.

Is it safe around dogs?

No. The leaves, stems and seeds contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic to pets if chewed. Plant it away from a dog that strips bark, and clear dropped prunings rather than leaving them on the lawn.