Newport Purple Leaf Plum

Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape. Pruning time: winter.

This is an ideal small accent tree with lovely purple foliage and bright spring flowers. Large enough to use as a single front-yard tree in city lots or in irregular groupings in both front or rear yards. Perfect for high-density neighborhoods. These are bold color statements that should be used sparingly and with lots of rich green plants. Use as singles or in a small cluster of three. Try a matched pair to flank gateways and driveway entries or in an orchard-like row to screen off neighboring views.

Combine Newport Plum with small evergreens such as Carob Tree, (Ceratonia siliqua) or Indian Laurel Fig, (Ficus retusa nitida) or the much larger Camphor Tree, (Cinnamomum camphora). Works very wellwith big background foliage shrubs such as Waxleaf Privet, (Ligustrum texanum), Shiny Xylosma, (Xylosma congestum) or Pink Princess Escallonia, (Escallonia x exoniensis 'Frades'). Accent Newport withthe evergreen foliage and yellow flowers of Carolina Jessamine, (Gelsemium sempervirens).

This is a species of cherry plum with a history that is murky at best, but what we do know is that this plant was introduced in 1923 by the University of Minnesota. It is believed that plants dubbed, P. pissardii, imported into France by M. Pissard gardener to the Shah of Iran may be the source of the European stock. It may also relate to P. Blireiana and the Marianna plum are closely related and figure into the contemporary varieties. The first purple plums were thrown into Linnaeus' huge genus Prunus with all other stone fruits. The species name, P. ceracifera with its characteristic purple foliage is credited to German botanist Friedrick Ehrhart, 1742-1795, who derived its name from the Greek for cherry-bearing to describe its very small fruit.

Luther Burbank, perhaps the most well known American plant breeder extensively worked with plums to create improved varieties still in cultivation today.