Selected in cultivation and grown widely since the nineteenth century, 'Atropurpurea' brought something genuinely new to the ornamental garden: foliage that opened reddish-purple in spring and held that color through the heat of summer into autumn, long after the white spring flowers had faded. The vase to rounded form, maturing at 15 to 25 feet, makes it a practical choice for smaller gardens where a standard tree would overwhelm. Full sun draws out the deepest color; shade produces greener leaves and diminishes the whole effect.

Moderately drought tolerant once established, it is unfussy about soil type and pH in a way that many ornamental trees are not. The mess of falling twigs and occasional fruit is a fair trade for a plant that earns its keep across three seasons. Plant it where the reddish-purple canopy can be seen against a lighter background — a limestone wall, a pale sky, or a neighbor's silver birch — and the effect is quietly extraordinary.