'Mt St. Helens' is a sport of 'Newport' with a stronger, straighter growing trunk, vigorous growth and earlier spring leaf out. The leaves are larger and a richer purple, flowers are light pink. Grows to 20 feet high and wide. This is a rounded, deciduous tree with ovate to obovate leaves. Bears solitary, bowl-shaped flowers, to 1 inch long, along bare shoots in early spring. Some trees produce small plum-like fruit. This is a highly decorative tree with beautiful foliage. Excellent in Japanese gardens , or just about anywhere you would like an extravagant, showy specimen tree.