When does the foliage tree red-leaf plum bloom, and in which season is the best viewing period?
Purple-leaf plum, also known as red-leaf plum, is widely planted in North China and areas to the south. Its leaves remain purple-red year-round; it is a famous foliage tree species, suitable for both solitary planting and group planting, and can set off a background. So when does the red-leaf plum bloom? In which season is the best viewing period? The specific details are as follows:
Red-leaf plum flowering period
The flowering period of the red-leaf plum is generally about 10-15 days.
Red-leaf plum blooming time
The red-leaf plum blooms approximately in: March to April each year.
The red-leaf plum is the purple-leaf plum. A deciduous small tree of the genus Prunus in the rose family (Rosaceae), it can reach 8 m in height and is native to southwestern Asia; it is widely planted in North China and areas to the south. Its leaves remain purple-red year-round; it is a famous foliage tree species, suitable for both solitary planting and group planting, and can set off a background. Especially the purple, glossy leaves, amid clusters of green leaves, look like flowers that never fade, forming a beautiful scenic line among the green mountains and waters.
The red-leaf plum is a sun-loving tree; under shaded conditions its leaf color is not vivid. It likes a warm, humid climate and is not cold-tolerant. In areas north of the Yellow River in China, it can overwinter in the open ground only when planted in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot. Potted plants need to spend the winter in a sunny place at 1-5°C. It is not strict about soil, but grows well in fertile, deep, well-drained neutral and acidic soil. It is more moisture-tolerant than other stone fruits and adapts to clayey soil. It is usually propagated by grafting; layering is also possible, while cuttings root slowly with a low survival rate. The grafting time is in late March to early April in spring, using the cleft grafting method. The rootstock age is best at 1-2 years. The effect of the chosen rootstock species on the scion varies. In the north, mountain peach and mountain apricot are used as rootstocks; because northern springs are dry, soil must be mounded up after grafting, and the survival rate is very high. With mountain peach as the rootstock, the new shoots after grafting are purple-green, and the surface of old leaves mostly shows green-purple with patches of purple spots, and growth is especially vigorous, but it fears waterlogging. With mountain apricot as the rootstock, the leaf surface color is bright red, with strong waterlogging tolerance and cold tolerance, but the growth vigor is not as robust and vigorous as with mountain peach as the rootstock. In the East China region, peach, apricot, plum and Japanese apricot are generally used as rootstocks. Peach in the Shanghai area begins sprouting on February 20, so grafting in early to mid-March is best; using plum as the rootstock is relatively waterlogging-tolerant; using apricot and Japanese apricot as rootstocks gives a long lifespan and a good graft union. After the graft survives, after one to two years of cultivation, it can be moved out of the nursery for field planting; transplanting can be done in both spring and autumn, but spring is best. When planting in spring, apply 10-15 kg of decomposed compost per hole. From before sprouting to the flowering period, water 2-3 times; in the rainy season, drain waterlogging; during the growing period, loosen the soil and weed 3-4 times. During management, pay special attention to cutting off the rootstock's suckers, and properly prune long branches; at the same time, remove overly dense, thin and weak branches, so that it forms a rounded, beautiful crown.