Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' Tree

A striking small flowering cherry, Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' boasts rich, deep purple foliage and stems which can appear almost black. The leaves of 'Nigra' emerge bronze before colouring to purple/black and then red and orange in the autumn. In March-April, it erupts in a mass of single pink flowers which are popular with bees and contrast beautifully with the dark foliage.

Its form is rounded and it will grow to an estimated height and spread of 5 x 4 metres in 20 years. Tolerant of most positions and pollution, the purple leaved plum will do well anywhere but wet sites and those with shallow chalk soil. A really beautiful ornamental tree for smaller spaces creating a wonderful foliage foil for other plants.

AKA Prunus cerasifera Nigra, Black cherry plum, Black leaved plum, Purple leaved plum, Blaze, Flowering cherry tree, Cherry blossom tree, Ornamental plum tree

• Common name: Purple leaved plum tree
• Awards: RHS Award of Garden Merit
• Height and spread in 20 years: 5 x 4 metres
• Seasons of interest: Spring, Autumn
• Blossom: 5 petaled pink flowers
• Foliage: Bronze with hints of purple and black in spring, red/orange in autumn
• Soil: Suited to all but very wet or chalky soils

Planting Advice for Prunus cerasifera Nigra Trees

Our pot grown Purple Leaved Plum trees can be planted at any time of the year. Choosing a location away from strong winds protects the blossom display. Start by removing weeds and grass within a metre of your desired planting hole. Dig a square hole as deep as your root mass and approximately 1.5x as wide. To help the tree establish more effectively, sprinkle root grow in the hole.

Remove the pot, gently loosen the roots and place into the planting hole. Mix 50% of the original soil with 50% compost. Fill in the hole and firm around gently, taking care not to bank soil up around the collar of the tree. We recommend planting Ornamental Plum trees with a stake and tie kit to help anchor the roots - instructions are in the planting guide.

After Care Advice for Prunus Nigra Trees

When planting Purple Leaf Plum trees in spring or summer, water well for the first few months. Increase watering if there are extended periods of hot or dry weather. When planting in autumn, you may only need to water a little.

Once planted, keep the area free of competing weeds and grass for the first couple of growing seasons. If your area is prone to rabbits, use a rabbit guard.

Pruning Prunus cerasifera Nigra Trees

Although you can leave Ornamental Plum trees to their own devices, if you prune them for the first few years they will create a more balanced branch framework and healthier trees in the long run. After two to three years, you will only need to remove any damaged or unwanted branches.

Carry out pruning after flowering i.e. after the petals have dropped but before the new shoot growth appears.

Delivery Timescales

Most deliveries are made within a week of placing the order. All trees are carefully packed by our experienced team, with many despatched to our tried and tested couriers within 24 hours (please allow up to 10 days). There's no need to be in to receive your trees and you can request where they are left via the checkout.

There is a slightly longer timescale on pleached and mature trees (trees over 2.5m in height) because we group orders together for specialist delivery - we will contact these customers to notify them of the delivery date.

Trees on pre-order are still growing and an estimate of when they will be ready for despatch is given on the basket page.

Gift trees and those required by a specific date can be accommodated with pleasure, although we accept no legal responsibility for late deliveries.

Our nursery is a busy despatch centre, so please make an appointment to collect or view trees.  For collections, despatch charges will be refunded.

Delivery Costs

1 small tree (most trees under 1.5 metres in height) : £7.95 + vat

1 medium tree (most trees 1.5-2 metres in height) or 2-4 small trees: £9.95 + vat

2+ medium trees or 5+ small trees: £12.95 + vat

1-4 trees delivered by pallet (inc. mature Japanese Maples): £19.95 + vat

Mature and pleached trees or orders too large for pallet: Cost is calculated in the checkout process and varies by postcode. It is a one off charge and will not increase if you add to the order.

The above prices exclude the Scottish Highlands, where delivery starts from £24.95 + vat and is calculated in the checkout process.

Northern Ireland and Non Mainland UK

Our courier charges are not viable for just one or two trees, but if you have a larger requirement then please do speak to us to see if we can find a solution.

The product table at the bottom of the page gives the forms and sizes available for this variety. Please note, photos are a guideline as all plants are unique. Below are definitions of terms:

Supplied Size: Height measured from the top of the pot.

Single Stem / Pruned and shaped: Classic shaped tree with a single stem that has had pruning to help create a beautiful, natural shape.

Top grafted: A height noted next to this form refers to the length of clear stem, which will not grow taller. Only the head of branches will develop. Top grafted trees do not require complicated pruning and are ideal for small spaces.

Multi Stem: A multi stem tree is has two or more stems arising from or near ground level, growing from one root system. Take care to buy a true multi-stem like all ours and not those that are 3 saplings in a pot to cheaply imitate them.

Feathered: A feathered tree has branches from the bottom of the trunk all the way up. These branches can be removed if a clear stem is required.

Bush: A plant with many stems low down, rather than one clear stem.

Climber: A plant that is a natural climber and will be delivered usually running up a bamboo cane, ready to position in the garden.

Standard Tree: A more mature tree with an upright clear stem of approximately 1.8m-2.0m (measured from the soil to the lowest branches of the crown). Standards are available in different forms relating to their girth size (circumference of the stem measured 1m above soil level), not height:

Standard  either 6-10cm or 8-10cm girth, approximately 2.5-3.0m in height
Premium Standard  10-12cm girth, approximately 3.0-3.5m in height
Heavy Standard  12-14cm girth, approximately 3.5-4.5m in height
Extra Heavy Standard 14-16cm girth approximately 4.0-6m in height