Perfect in Pink: Flowering Almond

Spring gently wakes us from our winter slumber.  Her kiss is warm and gentle.  Against our ears, she sighs, whispering verdant promises.  We in turn open our eyes, rubbing away the sleep and memories of snow, cold, and blustery days.   Oh… spring, you are a seductress.  You float heady aromas of freshly turned soil, newly mown grass, rain showers, and hyacinths.  And to top it all off, you display you finest, soft pastels.  If spring could be just one plant, in my mind, she would be a Pink Flowering Almond.

This charming shrub is one of the mid-spring bloomers (April – May).  As the name implies, the flowers are pink.  A soft, pastel pink. And she is a prolific bloomer.  This plant doesn’t coyly lift a slip to give us a peak at her ankle.  This brazen shrub rips away her bodice to show off full-frontal blossoms cascading down her branches.  The blooms are even more spectacular since there is no competition with the foliage as the plant leafs out after the pastel pink display.

It is for this very reason, this shrub deserves a spot in your garden.  She will not only wow you, but your neighbors and anyone else who passes by as well.

Now for the specifics.  Her latin name is prunus glandulosa and she is a shrub and not to be confused with prunus triloba which is the flowering almond tree.  Nursery staff will let you know that this plant ideally grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 – 8.  This is a very broad range,  spanning most of the United States from coast to coast.

When selecting a place to plant this shrub, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Size: Pink flowering almond is approximately 4′ to 6′ high and the same width.  This would make it a great border plant (but don’t tuck her away in the back where she can’t be seen) or even a specimen that is located front and center in your landscape.

   

2. Sunlight:  This plant prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade.
3. Soil: Neutral to just slightly acidic works best for this plant.  If you are unsure about your soil’s pH, go ahead and have it tested.  And speaking of soil, well-drained and loamy is ideal, but this plant will tolerate other soil types.
4. Moisture: This plant is known for tolerating drought conditions, but don’t expect this plant to thrive in a xeric landscape.  Pink Flowering Almond prefers moist, but not wet conditions.

This plant is easy to prune so you can control the size of the plant.  But with such a showcase of blooms… let the plant reach its mature size for maximum impact.  Careful site selection at planting will help ensure you don’t try to squeeze this plant into a space that is too small.

So for those of you waking from your winter’s slumber… it is not a dream.  Spring is here and she has taken the shape of the beautiful Pink Flowering Almond.