Unappealing out of bloom and over-planted. Hybrid between purple-leaved cherry plum and Japanese apricot. Larger, double, strong pink flower comes from Japanese apricot, also low habit and ovate leaf shape. Purple-leaved cherry plum contributes purplish leaf color and mars floral fragrance with some of its off smell. For better flowers with wafting carnation fragrance plant Japanese apricot instead. Does not usually line branches with flowers to create strands of popcorn appearance in the manner of the "dreariana" plum, but otherwise much more choice.

Japanese-owned garden centers have sold them in my area in the past, currently tending to be stocked by Sky nursery north of Seattle and Raintree nursery in Morton, to name a couple. Pink, red, or white flowers. Single or double. Weeping or upright. The plum blossom of Shoji prints. I've read a park in Japan displays hundreds of kinds, in blocks of multiple trees of each kind.

I contacted Sky Nursery and they don't carry any but I'll check Raintree. From your description the Blireiana doesn't sound too bad to me though.

I was at Sky nursery this afternoon, where I saw plants of 'Matsubara Red' in flower and 'Dawn' in bud. Last year they had several other kinds as well.

Weird, poor customer service from Sky whoever I corresponded with, didn't want to make a long trip if they didn't have them and was told they don't have them. Sounds like I need to make a trip up...

Both of those cultivars listed by bboy are of Prunus mume, flowering or Japanese apricot.

It does not surprise me that Sky does not have blireiana in stock.......many local nurseries do not carry it as it is overly prone to many of the problems that can befall flowering plums and flowering cherries in our area and climate. Although far less than perfect, Prunus cerasifera selections like 'Thundercloud', 'Newport' or 'Krauter Vesuvius' are more common and widely planted and at least in the short term, tend to be a bit more healthy/vigorous. In general, none of these are very long lived trees (~20 yr) and it may worth considering alternative choices.

'Newport' is from (Prunus salicina x P. americana) x P. cerasifera.

Another local outlet that has a history of stocking Japanese apricots is Holly Park Greenhouse in Seattle. In recent years they have tended to display them right at the front entrance.

I have not been there yet this year.

For PNW sources of Japanese apricots current as of 2003 see page 438 of The Plant Locator - Western Region (2004 Black-Eyed Susans Press). Suppliers for 9 named cultivars are indicated.

The most apparent problem with Blireiana is what it looks like during the majority of the time, when it is not in flower.

A muddy blob from afar; up close, an ugly mess. Motley colors: a mix of red young leaves, greenish old leaves, and bronzy ones in between. Graceless, congested crown shape and branch arrangement. Even duller when mature in late summer

--Purpleleaf Plums (1992 Timber Press Inc.)

I went to Holly Park. They have at least two kinds in stock, with 'Blireiana' right there with them - enabling comparison of the flowers.

The P. mume were partly spent already, the hybrid still coming on.

Look for them on S. Willow St., on the south side of the first block east of Martin Luther. They have a double pink form (probably 'Peggy Clarke') planted in the landscaping just off the sidewalk, that can be studied and sniffed even when the nursery is not open. And although not full-sized it gives a better idea of the typical appearance of the tree than the much smaller stock in the sales yard.

It's also one of the most pruned trees in western Wa. They sucker not only from the branches, but the base of the trunk as well. Depending on the understock, they will sprout out in the garden too. Who wants all that?
It has no Fall color of note. Why spoil a nice fall scene with a dud? Ack!
I refuse to have any in my garden,... and I have the room. I enjoy plums and cherries, when in bloom, in other people's gardens.

I was in McLendons today and they had some bareroot Peggy Clarke flowering apricot. Anyone have an opinion on this variety of flowering apricot?