What Exactly is a Prostitutes Plum Plant?

The term “Prostitutes Plum” typically refers to ornamental purple-leaf plum shrubs, primarily Prunus × cistena (Purple Leaf Sand Cherry) or Prunus cerasifera cultivars like ‘Newport’ or ‘Thundercloud’. It’s a deciduous shrub or small tree known for its stunning dark purple to reddish-bronze foliage that retains color throughout the growing season. This misnomer likely arises from phonetic confusion or regional slang, but in horticulture, it denotes these specific, visually striking plants.

What are the Key Botanical Characteristics?

Botanically, these plants belong to the Rosaceae family and the Prunus genus. They feature simple, ovate leaves with serrated margins, displaying intense purple pigmentation due to anthocyanins. In early spring, before or alongside the leaves, they produce clusters of small, fragrant, pale pink to white flowers, sometimes followed by small, dark purple (though usually sparse and inconspicuous) fruits. Mature height typically ranges from 6 to 10 feet for shrubs and up to 15-25 feet for tree forms, with a similar spread.

Is it a Tree or a Shrub?

Prostitutes Plum can be grown as either a large, multi-stemmed shrub or trained into a small ornamental tree. Cultivars like Prunus × cistena are naturally more shrub-like, often staying under 8 feet. Cultivars of Prunus cerasifera, such as ‘Newport Plum’ or ‘Krauter Vesuvius’, are more commonly trained into single-trunk tree forms reaching 15-25 feet. The growth habit depends significantly on the specific variety chosen and how it’s pruned.

How Do You Grow and Care for a Prostitutes Plum?

Successfully growing a Prostitutes Plum requires full sun, well-drained soil, and moderate watering, especially during establishment. These plants are relatively adaptable but thrive best in conditions that mimic their origins. Proper planting and ongoing care are crucial for vibrant foliage color, good flowering, and overall plant health, helping to prevent common issues like disease susceptibility.

What are the Ideal Planting Conditions?

Plant your Prostitutes Plum in a location receiving at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for the best leaf color. While tolerant of various soil types (clay, loam, sand), they insist on excellent drainage; soggy roots are a major cause of failure. They prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH (6.0-7.0). Amend heavy clay soils generously with compost or other organic matter before planting. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper, ensuring the top of the root ball sits level with the surrounding soil.

How Often Should You Water and Fertilize?

Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish a strong root system. Once established, these plants are moderately drought-tolerant but benefit from deep watering during prolonged dry spells, providing about 1 inch of water per week. Avoid frequent shallow watering. Fertilize in early spring before new growth emerges using a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-10) or a formula designed for trees and shrubs. Avoid over-fertilizing, especially with high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can promote excessive leafy growth at the expense of color and increase disease susceptibility.

When and How Should You Prune?

The best time for major pruning is late winter or early spring, while the plant is still dormant. Focus on removing dead, diseased, damaged, or crossing branches first. To maintain shape (for shrubs) or a tree form, selectively thin out crowded branches to improve air circulation, which is critical for disease prevention. Make clean cuts just outside the branch collar. Avoid heavy pruning in late summer or fall, as this can stimulate tender new growth vulnerable to winter damage. Light shaping can be done after the spring bloom if necessary.

Why Use Prostitutes Plum in Landscaping?

Prostitutes Plum shrubs are prized for their exceptional, season-long purple foliage, providing dramatic contrast and visual interest. They serve multiple roles in landscape design, functioning effectively as eye-catching focal points, vibrant hedges or screens, or as striking backdrops for lighter-colored plants. Their versatility makes them valuable assets in creating dynamic and colorful garden compositions.

What are the Best Companion Plants?

Complement the deep purple foliage with plants featuring silver, gold, chartreuse, or bright green leaves. Excellent companions include:

• Silver Foliage: Artemisia (e.g., ‘Powis Castle’), Russian Sage (Perovskia), Lamb’s Ears (Stachys).
• Gold/Chartreuse Foliage: Gold Mop Cypress, Golden Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa), Spirea ‘Goldflame’ or ‘Goldmound’.
• Bright Greens: Boxwood, Hostas (especially large, blue-green varieties), ferns.
• Flowering Contrast: Yellow Coreopsis, Orange Daylilies, White Shasta Daisies, Pink Roses or Phlox.

The contrast highlights the plum’s unique color and creates visual depth.

How Does it Compare to Other Purple-Leaf Plants?

Compared to alternatives like Purple Smoke Bush (Cotinus) or Purple Ninebark (Physocarpus), Prostitutes Plum offers a finer texture and often a more intense, consistent purple throughout summer. Smoke Bush has larger, rounder leaves and dramatic, airy flower plumes but can be less cold-hardy. Ninebark features exfoliating bark and clusters of white/pink flowers, with cultivars offering various shades of purple/burgundy, often with good disease resistance. Barberry (Berberis) offers thorns and extremely bright red/purple foliage but can be invasive in some areas. The Prostitutes Plum provides reliable, dense purple foliage with attractive spring blooms but requires more vigilance against diseases like black knot.

What Are Common Problems and How to Solve Them?

Prostitutes Plum plants are susceptible to several pests and diseases, including black knot fungus, aphids, borers, and Japanese beetles, requiring proactive monitoring and management. While beautiful, their ornamental Prunus heritage makes them prone to specific issues common to cherries and plums. Early identification and intervention are crucial.

How Do You Identify and Treat Black Knot?

Black Knot is a serious fungal disease causing hard, black, swollen galls on branches. It appears initially as small, olive-green swellings on twigs in summer, hardening and turning black by the next growing season. The galls expand, girdling and killing branches. Treatment involves rigorous pruning: Remove infected branches at least 6-8 inches below the visible gall during dry weather in late winter or early spring. Sterilize pruning tools between cuts (10% bleach solution or rubbing alcohol). Destroy infected material (do not compost). Fungicide sprays (containing chlorothalonil or thiophanate-methyl) applied at bud break and repeated according to label can offer protection but are secondary to pruning. Choose resistant cultivars if available.

How to Manage Common Pests?

Aphids, borers, and Japanese beetles are the most prevalent pests.

• Aphids: Cause curled, sticky leaves. Blast off with water, introduce ladybugs, or use insecticidal soap/neem oil for heavy infestations.
• Borers: Look for sawdust-like frass, oozing sap, or branch dieback. Keep plants healthy (stressed plants are targets). Prune out infested wood well below damage. Insecticides targeting borers (like those containing imidacloprid) may be used as a preventative drench in early spring, but timing is critical.
• Japanese Beetles: Skeletonize leaves in mid-summer. Hand-pick beetles early in the morning (drop into soapy water). Neem oil can deter feeding. Avoid pheromone traps, as they attract more beetles to the area. Milky Spore powder applied to lawns targets the grub stage.

Maintaining overall plant health through proper watering, fertilization, and pruning is the best defense.

Where Can You Buy a Prostitutes Plum and What to Look For?

Prostitutes Plum shrubs are widely available at local nurseries, garden centers, and reputable online plant retailers; look for healthy specimens labeled as Prunus × cistena (Purple Leaf Sand Cherry) or Prunus cerasifera cultivars. Purchasing a healthy plant from a trusted source is the first step towards success.

What Should You Check When Buying?

Carefully inspect the plant for signs of disease, pests, and root health. Examine leaves for spots, discoloration, or unusual stickiness (indicating aphids or scale). Check branches, especially junctions, for any swellings or cracks that might indicate black knot or borer activity. Gently check the root ball if possible (or look at drainage holes in containers) – roots should be firm and white/tan, not mushy, black, or circling densely. Avoid plants with wilted leaves (unless clearly just dry) or those showing significant dieback. Choose a plant with a balanced shape and good branching structure.

What are Popular Cultivars?

Several named cultivars offer variations in size, form, and foliage intensity:

• Prunus × cistena (Purple Leaf Sand Cherry): The classic shrub form (6-10′ H/W). Deep purple foliage, pale pink flowers.
• Prunus cerasifera ‘Newport’: Popular small tree form (15-20′ H). Bronze-purple young leaves maturing to reddish-purple, light pink flowers. Good hardiness.
• Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’: Small tree (15-25′ H). Intense deep purple foliage retains color well, pink flowers. Widely available.
• Prunus cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius’: Small tree (15-20′ H). Very dark purple-black foliage, light pink flowers. Known for good disease resistance.
• Prunus cerasifera ‘Mt. St. Helens’ (aka ‘Blireiana’): Small tree. Unique reddish-purple foliage, double pink flowers. Less common.

Select based on your desired size (shrub vs. tree) and available space.

Is Prostitutes Plum the Right Plant for Your Garden?

This plant is ideal if you desire dramatic purple foliage, have full sun, well-drained soil, and are prepared for moderate maintenance focused on disease prevention. It offers unparalleled seasonal color impact but requires commitment. Consider alternatives like Purple Ninebark or Smokebush if low disease susceptibility is a top priority, or if your site has partial shade or consistently wet soil.

What are the Main Advantages and Disadvantages?

Advantages:

• Stunning, season-long purple foliage provides exceptional visual impact.
• Attractive spring blooms add seasonal interest.
• Relatively fast-growing, providing quick screening or focal points.
• Adaptable to a range of soil types (except poorly drained).
• Moderate drought tolerance once established.
• Available in shrub or small tree forms for design flexibility.

Disadvantages:

• Highly susceptible to Black Knot fungus and other diseases (canker, leaf spot).
• Attractive to several pests (aphids, borers, Japanese beetles).
• Relatively short lifespan (often 10-20 years, sometimes less due to disease).
• Fruits (if produced) can be messy but are usually sparse.
• Requires full sun for best color; foliage fades in shade.
• Needs well-drained soil; intolerant of waterlogging.

Weighing these factors helps determine if this high-impact, higher-maintenance plant aligns with your gardening goals and capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Prostitutes Plum fruit edible?

The small, dark purple fruits produced by some cultivars are technically edible but generally considered unpalatable – sour and astringent. They are not poisonous, but they are primarily ornamental and not cultivated for fruit production like edible plum trees. Birds may occasionally eat them.

How fast does a Prostitutes Plum grow?

Prostitutes Plum is considered a moderately fast-growing plant. Under ideal conditions, you can expect growth of 1 to 2 feet per year. Growth rate slows as the plant matures. Shrub forms (like P. × cistena) typically reach their mature size of 6-10 feet within 5-10 years. Tree forms (like ‘Newport’) may take 10-15 years to reach 15-20 feet.

Can Prostitutes Plum grow in shade?

No, Prostitutes Plum requires full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily) to develop its characteristic deep purple foliage color and to bloom well. In partial shade, the foliage will often turn a dull greenish-purple or green, significantly reducing its ornamental value. Growth may also become leggy, and disease susceptibility often increases in lower light conditions.

Why are the leaves on my Prostitutes Plum turning green?

The most common reasons for green leaves are insufficient sunlight, over-fertilization (especially with nitrogen), or the natural aging process of individual leaves before they drop. Ensure the plant is in full sun. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that promote green growth at the expense of anthocyanin (purple pigment) production. Some greening on older leaves late in the season is normal. If greening is widespread and occurs early in the season, investigate light levels and fertilizer use first.

Is Prostitutes Plum toxic to dogs or cats?

Yes, Prostitutes Plum (like all plants in the Prunus genus) contains compounds that can be toxic to dogs and cats if ingested in significant quantities. All parts of the plant (leaves, stems, seeds/pits) contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can release cyanide when chewed or digested. While severe poisoning is uncommon because large amounts need to be consumed, ingestion can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and dilated pupils. It’s best to prevent pets from chewing on the plant. If you suspect ingestion, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.