Tuesday, May 09, 2006

anybody know what this is?

This bush/tree was already planted in our yard when we moved into our house. This year only one branch has flowers growing on it. Does anybody know what this is?








9 comments:

Jenn said...

It is a Thundercloud Plum tree.

Small cherry-sized like plums, not good for eating (sour) but make outstanding plum jam. The leaves turn bright orangy scarlet in the fall (oh, so pretty)

They are bad for sucker shoots so, trim it well in the beginning and you will have a nice little shade tree.

PS. I have one in my front yard

Jenn said...

Wow, you do have one, a nice big one. I hope mine grows and doesn't die altogether! I wonder if that one branch is all that's alive?

Jenn said...

check out thundercloud plum on google images if you want to see them really big!!

They are very hearty and they are so pretty when they flower. I paid $79 for mine two years ago when it was as big as yours. Worth keeping.

I'd prune off all the dead stuff so it has one lead or main trunk (that way too, disease won't get into your tree from the dead branches). You can also take a leaf from it into a nursery and have it analyzed if you are worried about infection or disease. It's super cheap because they usually will sell you the remedy. hehe.

Jenn said...

Thanks for the advice! I have the hardest time keeping plants alive. I will take a look at it tomorrow and see what I can do.

Saur♥Kraut said...

How cool is that~! I only am familiar with Southern plants. What a pretty tree! And now you have a chance to make jelly. Awesome!

Nerdine said...

one post dedikated to you today, Jenn. Come on over and have a looksie..

Loved the little tree there! I really like the trees thathave red leaves. They always look so good in the fall...

Mise en Place said...

From what I can see...it looks like a purple leaf plum tree. We have two planted in our front yard. We plant them for each of the kids on the year they were born.

Jenn said...

I think it is very interesting that this is a plum tree. I would have guessed crab apple. I guess now I have to learn how to make jelly!

Karin said...

We had that tree in our yard growing up and it hung over the dog pen. Our dog, Scamper would stand on his hind legs and pick the fruit from the tree and eat it. It was very funny to watch. We called it a cherry plum tree cause the fruit was the size of a cherry but it was a plum. But as Emma said the fruit if it isn't really ripe is quite sour.