How to Grow and Care for Flowering Plum Trees

Prunus blireiana

Flowering Plums are small deciduous trees that will grow to a height of 15-20 feet, with a 15 foot spread.
They belong to the genus of plants that includes cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines and almonds.
They produce an abundance of fragrant, one inch pink flowers in early spring
followed later by dark purple foliage that turns light green by mid-summer.
The foliage changes back to a deep reddish-purple in the fall.
Because they flower so early in the spring, Flowering Plum trees will seldom produce fruit
due to a lack of pollinators at blooming time.
However, the small,dark purple plums are edible and tasty.

Growing Ornamental Plum Trees

Flowering Plum trees are hardy in USDA Planting Zones 5-9
They grow and bloom the best when they receive full sun
but they will also tolerate partial shade.
They should be planted in moist, well draining soil,
and given some protection from strong winds.
Feed young trees with a high nitrogen fertilizer.
Keep the area beneath the tree, and especially around the trunk,
free of weeds and tall grass.

Pruning and Propagation

To induce vigorous new growth prune freely for shape immediately after blooming.
Flowering Plum trees can be propagated by grafting or grown from seed that will require three months of cold stratification before planting in the garden in the spring.

Flowering Plum
*Prunus blireiana*

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