The blood plum delights with a varied appearance. The tree with Persian origins serves as an ornamental or fruit plant. A reddish, shiny foliage reveals the cherry plum at first glance. Find out more about their multifaceted nature.
What varieties of blood plum are there?
The most famous blood plum varieties are Hessei, Nigra, Woodii, Pissardii, Prunus x cistena (dwarf blood plum) and Trailblazer (Hollywood). They vary in leaf, flower and fruit color, growth habit and size and are all suitable as ornamental or fruit plants.
Hessei
The wild plum enchants with cute flowers from April to May. It reaches a height of up to 3 meters. It grows an average of 10 to 20 centimeters per year.
Leaves:
- Summer: green
- Autumn: yellow
Flowers:
- small
- white
Fruits:
- yellow-red
- sweet tasting
- August to September
Nigra
This variety of blood plum originally comes from the USA. It has been most common in Germany since 1916.
Leaves:
- brown-red to black-red
- Coloring constant until autumn
- elliptical to ovoid
Flowers:
- 2.5 centimeters wide
- pink
- later whitish
Fruits:
- Diameter: 2 to 3 centimeters
- dark red
- very juicy
- sweet taste
Woodii
The blood plum Woodii can hardly be distinguished from the variety 'Nigra'. It was first described in 1910.
Pissardii (Atropurpurea, Prunus pissardii)
In 1880, Pissard from Persia introduced this plant to France. It was the starting point for all other varieties of blood plum. However, this original variety is only occasionally available today.
Leaves:
- large
- colored reddish brown
- fade over the course of the year
Flowers:
- 2 centimeters wide
- white, sometimes soft pink
- Flowering time: April
Fruits:
- Diameter: 3 centimeters
- spherical
Prunus x cistena (dwarf plum)
This dwarf plant reaches a maximum height of 1, 50 to 2, 00 meters.
Leaves:
red
Flowers:
pink
Fruits:
- dark red
- bears little fruit
Trailblazer (Hollywood)
With a height of 4 to 6 meters, this variety impresses in the home garden. The flowering shrub is suitable for individual positions or in flower hedges.
Leaves:
- brown-red
- Increasingly green color from summer onwards
Flowers:
light pink
Fruits:
red
Tips & Tricks
The blood plum can reach remarkable sizes. Find out about your individual needs before you buy. All fruits of these ornamental plums are edible.
