Propagation
Sow fresh seeds when ripe and place in a cold frame to germinate in late winter or stratified for three months at 1°C then sow. Prick out when large enough to handle and pot on in rich compost. Seeds may take up to 12 months to germinate and seedlings maybe variable.

Hardwood cuttings taken during autumn.


Botanic information
Leaf: The broad ovate leaves are coarsely serrated along the margins and are sometimes lobed. The apex is acute and the slender petiole is to 20 mm (ľ in)long. The new wood and foliage is purplish when young and the leaves mature to dark green.

Flower: The ruby-red buds open to single crateriform flowers that have 5-sepals and 5-purplish-pink obovate petals with a rounded apex. There are arranged in an umbel-like cluster that appears terminally on short lateral branches during late spring and are pollinated by insects.

Fruit: The small purplish red pome appears in a cluster and are persisted on plant during winter. The small seeds are viable but the plant is commonly reproduced vegetatively to maintain true to type.


General pruning information
This plant flowers on one or two year old wood and care should be taken not to cut back too hard as the plant will produce ample foliage but no flowers for up to two years. The plant may be trained to form a single leader or an open vase habit and may also be trained as an espalier with horizontal branching.
Young plants require training and can be cut back by two thirds during early spring. Once established the plant requires only a light prune to shape or the removal of dead or damaged wood.