Scientific Name
Prunus xcistena
Rosaceae
Characteristics
The Purpleleaf Sand Cherry is an upright deciduous shrub that typically grows 6 to 10 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide. It also may be trained as a small tree. It is most noted for its reddish-purple foliage that retains good color throughout the summer. Fragrant, solitary, white flowers with pink tints bloom in April after the foliage emerges. Flowers give way to an often meager production of small blackish-purple fruits that mature in July. Fruits are eaten readily by birds.
