What is the purple-leaf sand cherry? Let us introduce you to this woody plant

Morphological characteristics of the purple-leaf sand cherry

The purple-leaf sand cherry grows 1.8 m to 2.5 m tall with a crown spread of 1.5 m to 2.8 m. The branches are purplish brown when young, and the old branches have lenticels. The flowers are solitary, pale pink, with 5 petals and a faint fragrance, blooming from April to May.

The purple-leaf sand cherry is a hybrid of the purple-leaf plum and the sand cherry. It is cultivated in all regions, and is suitable for cultivation in North China, Central China, East China and South China, while in the Northeast, southern Liaoning and southern Jilin, it can overwinter safely in winter.

The purple-leaf sand cherry has a good color effect. Throughout the growing season its leaves are purplish red, bright and distinctive, with a compact tree form and dense foliage, giving the whole plant a fine color display. For potted applications, it can be made into medium and miniature bonsai.

How to grow the purple-leaf sand cherry

Sunlight

The purple-leaf sand cherry is a light-loving tree species, but it is also cold-tolerant and shade-tolerant. When planted in insufficient light, its leaf color turns green, so it should be planted in a spot with ample sunlight.

Soil

The purple-leaf sand cherry is not strict about soil, but it grows best in fertile, deep, well-drained neutral or slightly acidic sandy loam; light clay also works. For potting, use a rather deep and large pot, and line the bottom with broken tiles or crushed hard plastic foam blocks to improve the soil's air permeability and drainage capacity and to prevent root rot.

Water

The purple-leaf sand cherry likes a moist environment and dislikes waterlogging, so it should be planted in a high, dry spot. It is best to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.

Ornamental value of the purple-leaf sand cherry

The purple-leaf sand cherry has a good ornamental effect, grows fast, propagates easily, tolerates pruning and has strong adaptability. It is generally propagated by grafting and cuttings; the rootstock for grafting is usually wild apricot or wild peach, with apricot rootstock being the best. It has strong sprouting ability, so in garden cultivation it is easy to train into a ball or a hedge; by pinching the tips several times it forms many branches. Before winter, cut off stray branches and heavily shorten vigorous shoots, for cultivation and ornament.

In landscaping, because of its strong sprouting ability, bright leaf color and purplish red color from bud break to leaf fall, the purple-leaf sand cherry can be planted as a whole for urban colored hedges or color blocks, or planted individually, making it one of the best tree species for greening and beautifying cities.