Is Purple Leaf Sand Cherry deer resistant?
Prunus x cistena
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
Pink spring flowers against deep purple foliage, and popular for exactly that contrast. Short-lived, often under fifteen years, and prone to the borers and canker that affect all the ornamental Prunus. Treat it as a temporary plant rather than a permanent structure.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 59 to 94 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Deer-resistant alternatives to Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Purple Leaf Sand Cherry keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
Similar to Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Bigleaf HydrangeaHydrangea macrophyllaZones 6–11Occasionally damaged
- Bloodtwig DogwoodCornus sanguineaZones 5–7Occasionally damaged
- Blue HollyIlex x meserveaeZones 5–7Occasionally damaged
- Carolina RhododendronRhododendron carolinianumZones 5–8Occasionally damaged
- Catawba RhododendronRhododendron catawbienseZones 4–8Occasionally damaged
- Chinese LilacSyringa x chinensisZones 3–7Occasionally damaged
Protecting Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where Purple Leaf Sand Cherry grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
Browse from here
Every list Purple Leaf Sand Cherry belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
- Is Purple Leaf Sand Cherry deer resistant?
- Purple Leaf Sand Cherry (Prunus x cistena) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Purple Leaf Sand Cherry grow in?
- Purple Leaf Sand Cherry is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Purple Leaf Sand Cherry grow in shade?
- No. Purple Leaf Sand Cherry wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- Is Purple Leaf Sand Cherry toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Purple Leaf Sand Cherry as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.