• Photo of Prunus cerasifera (Prunus cerasiferas)

Plant Profile: Prunus cerasifera

Taxonomy: Prunus cerasifera

Names

Myrobalan Plum, Purple Leaf Plum

  • Photo of Prunus cerasifera (Prunus cerasiferas)

Phonetic Spelling:PROO-nus se-ra-SEE-fer-uh

Genus:Prunus

Species:cerasifera

Family:Roseaceae

This ornamental plum, valued for its striking purple leaves, is a short-lived tree that features a bushy, twiggy structure with a rounded crown and branches that spread out in a vase-like shape, adorned with lush foliage. It thrives in a variety of soil types but requires full sunlight to flourish. Ideal for use as a standalone specimen, in borders, or grouped together to create a screen or hedge, this petite flowering tree makes a wonderful enhancement to both Japanese and cottage gardens.

However, it is important to note that this tree is often susceptible to damage from deer.

Prunus cerasifera Feature Summary

Prunus cerasifera Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant
#deciduous
#small tree
#fragrant flowers
#specimen
#wildlife plant
#pink flowers
#purple leaves
#spring flowers
#high maintenance
#flowering tree
#showy bark
#fast growing
#cpp
#borders
#short lifespan
#larval host plant
#fruits summer
#food source summer
#border back
#small group plantings
#butterfly friendly
#problem for cats
#pollinator garden
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
#eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly

Similar Plants

Prunus cerasifera is often confused with:

Prunus cerasifera Feature Summary

Attributes
SE. Europe to Central Asia
This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north. Fruits are eaten by songbirds.
Fruit
1 in. reddish fruit in summer, not an effective fruit for eating or display.
Red/Burgundy
1-3 inches
Flowers
Fragrant single pink or white flowers 1/4"-1" across, appear in mid-spring before leaves emerge.
Pink
White
4-5 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
Alternate, simple, 1.5" to 2.5" long and 1"-1.5" wide , ovate to ellipical, serrated margins, rounded base, acute apex. There are glands at the leaf base near the petole. No significant fall color
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
Elliptical
Ovate
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Bark
Red-brown with many horizontal lenticles.
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Poisonous to Humans
Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting, shock.
Cyanogenic glycosides
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Asian Garden
Border
Hedge
Screen/Privacy
Specimen
Flowering Tree
Small Tree
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived

Prunus cerasifera Attributes

Prunus cerasifera: Country Or Region Of Origin

SE. Europe to Central Asia

Prunus cerasifera: Wildlife Value

This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north. Fruits are eaten by songbirds.

Prunus cerasifera: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Prunus cerasifera Fruit

Prunus cerasifera: Fruit Description

1 in. reddish fruit in summer, not an effective fruit for eating or display.

Prunus cerasifera: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Prunus cerasifera: Fruit Color

grass
Red/Burgundy

Prunus cerasifera: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Prunus cerasifera: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Prunus cerasifera Flowers

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Description

Fragrant single pink or white flowers 1/4"-1" across, appear in mid-spring before leaves emerge.

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
White

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Prunus cerasifera: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Prunus cerasifera Leaves

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Description

Alternate, simple, 1.5" to 2.5" long and 1"-1.5" wide , ovate to ellipical, serrated margins, rounded base, acute apex. There are glands at the leaf base near the petole. No significant fall color

Prunus cerasifera: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Prunus cerasifera: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Prunus cerasifera: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Prunus cerasifera Bark

Prunus cerasifera: Bark Description

Red-brown with many horizontal lenticles.

Prunus cerasifera: Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown
grass
Red/Burgundy

Prunus cerasifera Poisonous to Humans

Prunus cerasifera: Poison Symptoms

Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting, shock.

Prunus cerasifera: Poison Toxic Principle

Cyanogenic glycosides

Prunus cerasifera: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Prunus cerasifera: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Prunus cerasifera: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Prunus cerasifera Whole Plant Traits

Prunus cerasifera: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Prunus cerasifera: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Prunus cerasifera: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Prunus cerasifera: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Prunus cerasifera: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Prunus cerasifera: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Prunus cerasifera Cultural Conditions

Prunus cerasifera: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Prunus cerasifera: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Prunus cerasifera: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Prunus cerasifera: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Prunus cerasifera: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Prunus cerasifera: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Prunus cerasifera Stem

Prunus cerasifera: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Prunus cerasifera Landscape

Prunus cerasifera: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Prunus cerasifera: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Prunus cerasifera: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Prunus cerasifera: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Prunus cerasifera: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy