The cherry plum is a popular ornamental tree for garden and landscape use, grown for its very early flowering. Numerous cultivars have been developed, many of them selected for purple foliage. Â Cherry plums, botanical name Prunus cerasifera, are a stone fruit and member of the Rosaceae family. There are dozens of Cherry plum cultivars chosen for their fruit whereas many Cherry plum trees are often grown for ornamental purposes. Such varieties are selected for their bold purple foliage and fragrant and attractive spring blossoms. Â The Cherry plum is native to Asia. Â It is said to be a direct parent of the European plum, P. domestica. The trees are deciduous, cold hardy and drought tolerant. They are however prone to disease and pests. Trees grow rapidly and their life span short lived, 20 years. Trees can be propagated by seed or grafting. Cherry plum trees are often used as rootstock for other plum cultivars, especially European varieties.
