There are many great reasons for planting trees around the home. They make the place look nicer, they give lots of shade in the summer, which cuts the cost of fans and air conditioners, they can form a wind break in the winter, they furnish shelter for birds and other wildlife, and if they produce fruit, they even furnish you with a food source. They can also give the yard the sense of solitude and tranquility that is often missing in this day and age.

If you are looking for a good shade tree that is also functional and gives birds and wildlife a safe harbor, an ornamental plum may be just the choice you seek.

Sometimes called the red leafed or purple leafed plum, as the name implies, the foliage of this tree is a medium red to purple color, rather than green. The blossoms are pinkish white and often appear in profusion early in the spring, before the leaves appear, when other trees are just beginning to bud out.

The ornamental plum is variable in height, depending on age and where it is growing, but it can reach 30-40 feet. It does handle very early spring or late fall pruning very well. During the year, it creates lots of shade and shelter for birds, and the tree is often half dome shaped, which makes it quite appealing to the eye.

This tree does well in a wide range of soils, from poor to rich. It handles heat well, provided that it gets adequate water. It does not require as much water as many trees, however.

In the fall, usually September in my region, the ornamental plum produces sometimes-surprising quantities of small reddish plums. They are ripe when they are slightly soft. The fruit is edible, though best suited for jelly.

Each plum is mostly pit, the flesh is sweet, and the skin is tart, making it very good for these uses, however. The plums are simply boiled then strained, and sugar and pectin are added to the juice, to make a simple but very good tasting plum jelly.

They can also be used to make wine, suitable for either drinking or cooking.

The ornamental plum grows readily from seed, though it will take many years to grow big enough to produce fruit. It is much hardier and faster growing than other plums, and is very low maintenance.

Deer and birds also enjoy the tree; both for cover, and for the fruit the tree produces. In the fall when the leaves fall, they can be used in compost piles.

The number of reasons for planting trees around the home is great, and only a small number of those reasons have been mentioned here. However, regardless of the reasons why you are thinking of planting one, an ornamental plum has a lot going for it. Not the least of which is the beautiful look of the tree.

Learn more about this author, Rex Trulove.
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