Check out this cultivar, photographed on a street in Edinburgh, Scotland, 7 May 2008. Not my cup of tea (too dark and imposing in the landscape), but unusual and undoubtedly coming to a garden centre in North America soon. Note the soot on the back of the flowers.
Re: not in Vancouver: purple-leaf Kanzan It's called Royal Burgundy. By now already common in yards here, "This branch sport of 'Kanzan' was discovered by Frank Parks of Speer & Sons Nursery, Woodburn, Oregon, and released to commerce in about 1990 (Jacobson, 1996)" http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/prserb.htm Currently there is a conspicuous row of tall ones flowering just east of I-5 on the big tree nursery near Everett, WA.
Re: not in Vancouver: purple-leaf Kanzan Thanks. Does it hold that leaf colour through the summer? Clearly, the plant protection folks at CFIA have been effective at keeping new cherries out of Canada.
Re: not in Vancouver: purple-leaf Kanzan I am truly sorry to hear the Lower Mainland is being deprived of this stunning ornamental. Actually I prefer it to 'Kanzan' in spring, the darker leaves apparently looking better to me with the flower color. However, the summer foliage color is often peculiarly dreadful - not even lively enough to be called copper. http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/prserb1.htm
Re: not in Vancouver: purple-leaf Kanzan Uggh! Not another purple horror to disfigure the landscape! Fortunately, despite that one in Edinburgh, it hasn't caught on here to any extent yet. Make sure the Canadian plant health regs stop it from coming in! Edinburgh isn't nicknamed 'Auld Reekie' for nothing! Tho' it's a lot cleaner now than it used to be.
Re: not in Vancouver: purple-leaf Kanzan havent heard of it before now, thanks for the heads up Douglas. sounds like it wont be a huge impact locally though.
Re: White Rock / South Surrey Edited by wcutler 2014may1: I've copied Nadia's White Rock posting here - the first sighting of 'Royal Burgundy' in the region. 32 ave from 156a Str to 154Str Kanzan with very dark purple leaves
I found this group of four presumably 'Royal Burgundy' in Port Townsend, WA last weekend; so till the end of the first week of July, they still have their colour that doesn't appear to be changing.