Purple Leaf Plum Tree Problems | Common Issues and Solutions

Despite the beauty of the purple-leaf plum tree, it has different problems that not only affect its growth but also compromise its appearance.

There are different purple leaf plum tree problems, which include nutrient deficiency, environmental stress, pest attacks, etc. The best action against it is identifying these issues and applying proper solutions as soon as possible.

The article below lists some problems I faced while growing purple-leaf plum trees in my garden. But don’t worry, I also mentioned its solution, so let’s get to it.

Purple Leaf Plum Tree Problems:

The purple-leaf plum tree, also known as (Prunus cerasifera), is prized for its beautiful purple leaves and attractive foliage. Many gardeners, including me, plant these plum trees just for their looks and appearance. But just like other trees, these purple-leaf plum trees have problems that affect their looks and slow down their growth.

In the article below, I listed some common problems and how to deal with them effectively, so let’s get to it.

Pest Attack:

Pests are one of the main problems of plum trees, especially purple leaf plum trees. We listed some of the common ones below.

Aphids:

Aphids are one of the common pests that attack and affect every other plant, including purple leaf plums. They usually attack on early springs because they feed on new grow tender.

Symptoms:

It has many symptoms, like infection that distorted the leaves, produces stick deposits that usually convert into molds and damage the leaves an branches.

Solution:

The solution is simple: to remove or reduce the population of aphids, introduce ladybugs or lacewings into the garden, and they will help you control its population. For the second method, use any good pesticide spray.

Related: Plum Tree Diseases

Japanese Beetles:

Japanese beetles are colorful insects with a mix of bronze and metallic green colors, but they are considered very dangerous for purple leaf plum trees because they turn their leaves into skeletons. They usually come in early summer and attack different types of plum trees, especially purple-leaf plums.

Symptoms:

The main symptom is its skeletonized leaf, which also affects the growth of the entire tree.

Solution:

If you have only one tree, hand-picking is the best solution, but if you have more than one, just like me, consider using traps and use any good insecticides.

Scale Insects:

Scale insects are small, immobile insects but are one of the big problems for purple leaf plum trees. They usually attach themselves to branches and leaves and start feeding on their sap, which, as a result, causes the purple leaf to start losing its colors.

Symptoms:

In its symptom include branches are covered in shell-like bumps with sticky honeydew.

Solution:

First, cut the infected branches and then use any good spray for these scale insects. You can also introduce any beneficial insects that will reduce their pollution.

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Environmental Stress:

Environmental stress is very common for plants, especially for purple leaf. Below, we defined and listed some of the very common ones that can turn into big problems, which include,

Drought:

Drought is when the purple-leaf plum tree doesn’t get the required amount of water, especially in hot summers when the water evaporates fast, and that’s why they need extra water.

Symptoms:

The common signs of drought include drying and dropping leaves. Wilting is also a big symptom of drought in plum trees.

Solution:

The solution is easy: just water your purple-leaf plum tree consistently, especially in dry and hot climates.

Poor Soil:

The purple leaf plum trees are very sensitive to poor soil and drainage, which can lead to other problems like root rot. Poor soil usually causes waterlogging in roots, preventing oxygen from absorbing.

Symptoms:

The symptoms are clear, like leaves losing color, root rot, etc.

Solution:

To solve this problem, you must first improve the soil by adding organic matter to improve its drainage. Also, reduce overwatering your plants.

below we have a video demonstration of pruning purple leaf plum tree.

Nutrients Deficiencies:

Another common problem for purple-leaf plum trees is nutrient deficiency. A plant needs different nutrients for its growth, but it causes big problems when it does not get them or lacks some of them.

• Potassium Deficiency: The common sign of potassium deficiency is when chlorosis starts in old leaves and spreads to the new leaves while the step is still green.
• Iron Deficiency: In iron deficiency, the leaves of purple leaf plums also start losing their color, but the veins remain green. It attacks young leaves often, and if it is not treated, it can lead to scorching the leaves.
• Magnesium Deficiency: In magnesium deficiency, the leaves start losing their color, but it starts in old leaves first. It then curls up and, if not treated, dies prematurely.
• Iron Deficiency: The purple-leaf plum tree will face chlorosis in iron deficiency, but mostly in young leaves. The leaves will scorch if it’s not treated on time.

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Conclusion:

So, we cover all the common big and small problems that affecting the growth of the purple leaf plum tree. After understanding this problem, it will be easy for you to find a solution for them and then apply it to keep your plants healthy and give you juicy and flavourful fruits.