I think it's a purpleleaf sandcherry - it has deep red/purple leaves, and it had white flowers in April. It's a multi-stem/trunk shrub. One of the trunks that's closest to the house has no leaves. We did have a frost in April that killed a few things. I'm wondering, if this trunk will produce leaves next year, or is it dead, and I should cut it now? Thanks!
I'm guessing it's dead. Take a knife and scratch into the bark. If it's green, leave it. If it's brown, cut it off.
Never tried this test on a purple-foliage plant . . . do purple-foliage plants have green, or purple, inner bark??
Very funny, Michael! Katie, there are very few shrubs that don't benefit from a little pruning here and there even of live wood, so even if the branch was alive there is no barrier to cutting it off.
