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Prunus blireana (Cherry Plum/Double Flowering Plum)

Prunus blireana known as the Double Flowering Plum or Cherry Plum, grows as a robust small flowering tree with a massed display of double pink flowers in early spring, thick and dense, making it one of the best flowering blossom trees. Flowers are followed by bronze and purple foliage in summer and autumn. Perfect for small spaces, along fence lines as screening, or as a feature tree in a lawn, this deciduous tree will grow to 4m tall and 4m wide. It’s well suited as a street tree with a long flowering period. Choose a sunny position with well-drained soil, for best growth. Dig your hole half a metre deep and one metre wide. Add compost or soil conditioner. Place your new tree in the hole and check the level in the pot matches the new level in the planting hole. Remove tree from its pot and ‘tickle’ the roots to free them and allow better penetration into the soil. Back-fill with improved soil, then gently and thoroughly water in with a watering can filled with dilute seaweed solution. If drainage is poor, it’s best to raise the soil level around your new tree with logs, sleepers or bricks to facilitate better drainage. Nothing kills a plant faster than poor drainage! Prunus blireana is hardy and will tolerate drought and moderate frost. Water well until established (around six weeks).

 

OPTIONS FOR SPRING BLOSSOM.

• Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata) has an exquisite blossom display, best in cool climate gardens.

• Flowering plum (Prunus x blireana) and Flowering Peach (Prunus persica) are better suited to warm temperate gardens.

• Japanese crabapple (Malus floribunda) grows well in cool and warm temperate gardens.