This is a stunning plant/tree all year long, and is a prolific bloomer. If I lived on a heavily traveled street, I'm sure it would stop traffic. It takes no care whatsoever.

Kathy Whisler, WA

Hardiness: USDA Zone 4-7, in zones 4 and colder it can behave like a perennial in and die back in the winter. Quickly grows to form a nice plant the following spring.

Bloom Time: Begins in late June

Bloom Color:  Rich pink, with a lemony scent

Foliage Color:  Dark purple-black

Fall Color: Remains the same color 

Size: 6 to 8 feet high and wide with age. Can be easily maintained as a smaller plant or trained into a small tree

Exposure: Full sun for best foliage color

Soil: Best in moist soil although will tolerant. Dry soils. Thrives under acid or alkaline soils. 

Pruning: In zones 4 and colder it can behave like a perennial in and die back in the winter. Simply cut cut back any dead branches, as you would with a perennial. It quickly grows to form a nice plant the following spring. In zones 5 and warmer it grows like a typical shrubs, although hard pruning every few years results in a fuller, bushier plant.

Forms its flower buds in later summer and then flowers in early June. The best time to prune is it after it blooms, from mid-June to mid-August.  Cease pruning in mid-august to allow time for the flower buds to form prior to winter.

As a young plant it is best to prune or pinch your plant in order to build a full bodied, well branched plant.  If the plant is leggy when you purchased it, shear the plant back hard by 1/3  to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts on an inch or two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just the growing tip. This tip controls branching.  Once the tips are removed the buds below it will turn into stems. Once these new branches grow an inch or two, pinch the tip out again. You can repeat this throughout the first growing season as you are tending your garden.  Although you will sacrifice one year of bloom, this technique results in a well branched, full bodied plant that will have more flowers in subsequent years. The second season in the ground, repeat the pinching practice (or lightly shear) up until mid-August.  Cease pruning and pinching to allow the flower buds to set.

During the third and subsequence seasons, prune or pinch after flowering and up to bud set in mid-August. Do not be afraid to prune or shear your plant harder if you wish to maintain a shorter size.                                     

Watering: Moist soils but becomes more drought tolerant with maturity. 

Wildlife: Birds 

Type: Deciduous

Fertilizing: Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees & shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of application.

Uses: Groupings or masses, perennial or shrub borders, specimen, screens, roadsides, naturalizing, near boggy or wet gardens. 

Other: Fruit is edible and good for jellies, pies, juice and wine.

Breeders: Ken Tobutt and Jacqui Prevette of East Malling Research Station.

Fragrant pink flowers are grouped in masses over 10 inches across and cover the plant in early summer.   

Dark purple berries in late summer attract songbirds and can be used to make wine.

Use it as a shrub, as a bold perennial or train it into a small tree. It's colorful, versatile and easy to grow.