Q: I have an ornamental plum that has red-purple leaves (spade shaped with small serrated edges). This first year it produced about a dozen plums about 1″ in length.

A: Theresa Schrum replies: “I suspect that the seeds from the plums produced will either be sterile or will produce seedlings with green leaves.

The purple leaf variety of plum is a cultivar and most don’t come true from seed. However, there is no harm in trying.

Remove the seeds from the plums and plant them just below soil level in a pot with good potting soil. Leave them outside and they should germinate either this year or next spring after they have been stratified (exposed to cold weather) this winter.”