The sand cherry that I was so impressed by last year has a different color this year. It is more orange, and a more typical sand cherry color. The color is also more orange here in the late afternoon sun. We shall see what happens over the next few days, as the color might change more, but I doubt it. I think it is more related to the conditions of the year. I've named it 'Sunset Ridge', which seems to be an appropriate name, since the color is changeable.
My little cuttings aren't coloring up fully yet. Whether it is because my garden is warmer, or that they get more water, or just that they are young, I'm not sure. The color on them seems to be more of the color I remember rather than the color that the mother plant is this year.
Last year, 'Sunset Ridge' was more like this one (above), which is a little further down the road. It is a more purplish red than orange. This one just glows in the late afternoon sun and forms a nice contrast to the Quercus gambelii behind it.
The 'Pawnee Buttes' form is the one that is typically available in nurseries. It is a prostrate form, so can be used as a ground cover. Although it's a nice plant, and the fall color is nice, it isn't the glowing pinkish red color that I like the most. I think that this bronzy orange color doesn't stand out much in the brown New Mexico landscape unless with careful placement among companion plants. I hope my cuttings don't turn out to have this color. If so, I'll have to try again with the one further down the road. Maybe I'd have to call it 'Further Down', but that's not so great a name.
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