Purple-leaf sand cherry is a deciduous shrub prized for its striking reddish-purple foliage that holds its color throughout the growing season, paired with fragrant, showy spring flowers followed by ornamental fruit. Hardy in zones 2 through 8, it grows 6 to 10 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide, though it can also be trained as a small tree. This hybrid was introduced in 1910 by Dr. N. E. Hansen at South Dakota State University, crossing Prunus pumila with Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea' to create a shrub that thrives in full sun and moderate moisture.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-8
120in H x 96in W
—
High
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The reddish-purple foliage is this shrub's defining feature, delivering bold color from spring through summer in ways few deciduous plants can match. Its fragrant April blooms are delicate and showy, attracting birds to the garden, and the ornamental fruit that follows extends the visual interest well into the growing season. Plant it in full sun with well-drained soil and it demands remarkably little maintenance once established, tolerating urban conditions and poor-quality soils that would challenge other ornamentals.
Purple-leaf sand cherry is grown primarily as an ornamental flowering shrub and small tree for the landscape. Its combination of showy spring flowers, sustained purple foliage, and ornamental fruit makes it valuable in foundation plantings, shrub borders, and specimen positions where its color can serve as a dramatic backdrop or focal point. The showy fruit also attracts birds, adding wildlife value to gardens.
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Prune purple-leaf sand cherry as needed after flowering to maintain shape and encourage continued vigor. The plant responds well to pruning and can be trained as either a multi-stemmed shrub or a single-trunk small tree depending on your landscape goals.
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“Purple-leaf sand cherry emerged from deliberate breeding work at South Dakota State University, where Dr. N. E. Hansen created this hybrid in 1910 by crossing the native American sand cherry (Prunus pumila) with the Atropurpurea plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea'). The goal was to combine the hardiness and vigor of the sand cherry with the ornamental purple foliage of the plum, resulting in a shrub capable of thriving in the coldest American gardens while delivering the dramatic color of a subtropical plant.”