Tree question

[Steve B]

There's a local tree here in Southern Utah, and in Southern Nevada. All the leaves and stalks are purple. The tree gets to about ten foot high. It has fruit that looks a lot like cherries, but when you split one, it looks more like a peach inside. Not as soft as a cherry. What kind of trees are these? I saw a couple of aliens (no, not martians) harvesting a bucket of them the other day, so I guess they're edible.

Steve

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fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

[Bill who putters]

I'd ask the aliens but some how I think that is below you . So suffer in ignorance.

Wow 2010 and so many brain dead still.

[Una]

Purple leaf plum? A very common ornamental. A fast growing, small tree that is usually also short lived. It rarely has fruits. It usually gets taller than 10 feet, but I understand you're seeing these in a very dry climate.

It could also be a purple leaf sand cherry, also an ornamental hybrid that rarely has fruits.

Una

[David E. Ross]

Purple-leaf plums do form fruits about the size and color of cherries. However, the fruits are mostly pits with only a thin layer of edible flesh.

[Steve B]

[Steve B]

The fruit has a translucent skin, unlike a cherry. The meat is lighter from the outer edge to the inner, unlike the cherry. The consistency of the meat is like a peach. I will check it out at the local nursery, I just thought that someone here might know. Bill who putters was a great help!

Steve

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watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

[Steve B]

There wasn't a lot to this, I'd say 1" max diameter on the fruit. I tasted it slightly, and it wasn't unpleasant. It was juicy and had a nice texture. Lucky it wasn't something poisonous or that stimulates the digestive system into hyperspeed ..................... I know better, but took a chance, and it went well.

Steve

visit my blog at

watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

[Billy]

Do I detect continued, sequential annoyance?

[andyglynn]

Newsgroups are a great way to discuss topics. In this case, the topic is general gardening.

[Nelly Wensdow]

It's possible they didn't really know exactly what it was (or could speak enough English to tell him). I've eaten unknown fruits, but not without identifying the genus and knowing what if any species to avoid.

It may also be of interest to know that entire families have been wiped out from eating U.S. species that they "knew" from back home.

[Bill who putters]

Sure it is possible.

Sure so is this but unlikely.

Got any garden info of use ?

[Nelly Wensdow]

Who knows, someone who sees the sense in not relying on a foreigner to identify a local plant might find it "useful," even if you don't.

[Bill who putters]

Maybe 25 posts in the last 5 years. Nelly are you male ?

[Steve B]

Newsgroups are a great way to discuss topics. In this case, the topic is general gardening.

reply: So, I guess fruit bearing trees are not a garden item according to your philosophy?

Steve

visit my blog at

watch for the book

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

[Alfred Falk]

"Nelly Wensdow" wrote in news:bo7Un.103410$ [e-mail]:

Seems likely that it is a member of the _Prunus_ genus, which includes plums, cherries, peaches, etc. There are a number of purple-leaved cultivars. Check out