Prunus × cistena

Prunus × cistena, the purple leaf sand cherry or dwarf red-leaf plum, is a hybrid species of Prunus, the result of a cross between Prunus cerasifera and Prunus pumila. A leggy bush or shrubby tree, it typically reaches a height of and has a useful life of 10–20 years. The fruits are edible, if strong-tasting. Some people make jams or preserves from them. It is not advisable to eat the pits.
Frost-tolerant, purple leaf sand cherries can be grown up to USDA Hardiness Zone 2a. Commercial specimens are typically grafted to a rootstock from any of a number of other species, which will influence their growth form and final height. There are also a limited selection of cultivars available.
Prunus × cistena was developed by Niels [Ebbesen Hansen] in 1910. In 1993 List of [Award of Garden Merit flowering cherries|it won] the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.