Cercis canadensis
Eastern Redbud
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
A small tree. The main trunk quickly divides into several large, upright, gracefully ascending branches, forming a spreading, flat-topped to rounded crown. Average mature size of 20-30' tall and 25-35' wide. National champion is about 40' tall and wide. Moderate growth rate of 12-24" per year. Relatively short-lived for a tree, 40-80 years.
Native Range
Kentucky Native — Native to the eastern U.S., from New Jersey to northern Florida, west to Missouri and Texas. Native throughout Kentucky.
Flower and Fruit Details
Flower buds are reddish-purple, opening to lavender/rosy pink blooms w/ a purplish tinge, 0.5" long. Flowers perfect, edible, March-April, before the leaves, effective 2-3 weeks, borne 4-8 together. Starts flowering at 3-6 years of age. Fruits are true pods (legume), green or reddish to purplish before maturity, changing to tan, brown or brownish-black, 2-3" long, 0.5" wide, in October, persisting through winter. Fruits are flattened and papery.
Leaf and Bark Features
Deciduous: New leaves emerge reddish-purple, changing to dark, lustrous green. Leaves are 3-5" in size (larger in deep shade), cordate (heart-shaped), with a smooth, entire margin, 5-9 veins radiating upwards from the base. Petiole 1.5-2.5" long. Yellow-green fall color, but can be an excellent yellow. Notable Bark: Bark on old branches is brownish-black w/ orange inner bark peaking through (especially on the trunk), becoming scaly w/ age, & revealing more of the orange underbark as the outer bark sloughs off.
Culture and Care
Transplant as a young tree in spring or fall, into moist, well-drained, deep soils. Does well in many soil types, including clay, unless permanently wet. Sensitive to salt & ozone. Adaptable to acid or alkaline soils. Full sun/light shade. Zones 4-9. Canker is the most destructive disease of redbud and can cause many stems to die. Leaf spots and Verticillium wilt are other disease problems. Tree hoppers, caterpillars, scales and leaf hoppers can also cause damage.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts
4-season interest: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Dr. Michael Dirr, author and plantsman, calls this "one of the most beautiful native trees."
Suggested Uses
Effective as a single specimen, in groupings and in the shrub border, especially nice in woodland and naturalized situations.
Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA
The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.
Cercis canadensis 'Covey' // Lavender Twist® Weeping Redbud
Tree. Contorted stems, arching upwards, then weeping down. Must be staked to produce a trunk. After 30 years, just 5-6' tall and 6-8' wide. Picturesque branching. Grown from a seedling by Connie Covey of New York, then propagated by Tim Brotzman of Madison, Ohio. Rosy-pink flowers. Develops an umbrella-shaped crown. Zones 5-7. Makes a good specimen for a focal point in the shrub border or entryway.
-- not currently in our collection --Cercis canadensis 'Floating Clouds' // Floating Clouds Redbud
Tree. Heavy white, variegated speckling on the otherwise green leaves, with more prominent white variegation than 'Silver Cloud' or 'Silver Splash'. More resistant to leaf burning and physiological browning during extreme heat than similar variegated types. Globe-shaped. Gets 20-30' tall and wide. Many leaves are mostly white, or irregularly splashed with white. Typical pinkish-lavender flowers. Does well in full sun; leaves do not burn. Zones 5-9. Fall foliage is pale yellow. Good used as a single specimen or in groupings. Does best in a moist, well-drained, sandy loam soil, but tolerates some clay and drought.
BT001762 - BT001833Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' // Forest Pansy Redbud
Tree. Rose-purple to reddish-pink flowers open later, and the new foliage emerges a bright purple and changes to a more subdued dark green color as the season progresses. A very handsome purple tree. The glossy, bright purple foliage of spring turns bronze to dark green in the summer, and yellow in the fall. Slow grower, to 20-30' tall and wide, with a globular shape. Zone 6-8. Flowering branches may be used in cut flower arrangements. Tolerant of clay and does well in close proximity to walnut (resists juglone toxicity). Flowers attract hummingbirds. Found in a seedling block at Forest Nursery in Tennessee in 1947. Less cold hardy than the species, and flowers later.
BT002150 - BT002160bCercis canadensis 'Hearts of Gold' // Hearts of Gold Redbud
Tree. Faster growing than other cultivars, to 20-25' tall and wide. The new leaves emerging red/orange to golden yellow, tinged with reddish-purple, and finally maturing to a pure yellow, then yellow-green. Some years, leaves turn completely green by August. Leaves under drought stress turn completely green quicker. Adequate water will help the yellow foliage color last longer before turning to green. Flowers are lighter than the straight species. Few fruits are produced on this cultivar. Tolerant of clay and does well in close proximity to walnut (resists juglone toxicity). Flowers attract hummingbirds. Starts blooming at a very young age. Good specimen, or along patios or in small group plantings.
BT001405 - BT001406Cercis canadensis 'JN2' // The Rising Sun™ Redbud
Tree. New growth is golden-orange, then yellow, then green. Drought-resistant and cold-hardy. Fuchsia-pink flowers. Rounded, compact, vigorous grower, 8-12' tall and 8-14' wide. Attracts butterflies. Fall foliage is yellow and orange.
BT001758 - BT001759Cercis canadensis 'Little Woody' // Little Woody Redbud
Tree. Small leaves are thick, wrinkled, bumpy, closely-spaced on tightly-branched stems, forming a shrubby, small tree 10-12' tall and 8-10' wide, with large, individual, deep pink flowers. Tolerates clay and juglone in soil (from black walnut trees nearby). Growth habit is a vase-shaped dwarf plant. Pods rarely produced. Zones 5-9.
BT001435 - BT001436Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls' // Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud
Tree. A redbud with a weeping habit and reddish-purple foliage, resulting from a hybrid crossing of 'Forest Pansy' redbud and 'Covey' (Lavender Twist) redbud. Zones 6-8. Lavender-red, sweet-pea-like flowers before the leaves. Compact size of only 6-8' tall and 4-6' wide makes it perfect for the smaller landscape. Yellow fall color, with some purple streaks.
BT001835Cercis canadensis 'Silver Cloud' // Silver Cloud Redbud
Tree. Leaves are green, speckled and blotched with much creamy white variegation. Best grown in some shade. Fewer flowers than the species. Less white variegation than occurs on 'Floating Clouds' redbud. Zones 5-9. Gets 20-30' tall and 25-35' wide after many years. Light purple flowers. Specimen tree. Attracts hummingbirds. Works as a cut flower as well. Resistant to juglone toxicity in soil from nearby walnut trees. Tends to revert back to more green, so keep those branches cut out that develop with all-green foliage. Fruits are rare on this cultivar.
BT001351
Cercis canadensis 'Tennessee Pink' // Tennessee Pink Redbud
Tree. Rosy pink to clear pink flowers. Excellent growth habit, usually growing as a single-trunk tree. Abundant flowers. Zone 5-9. A vigorous grower, 15-20' tall and 20-25' wide. Part shade is best in hot climates. Avoid wet, poorly-drained sites. Yellow fall color.
BT001136Cercis canadensis var. alba // White Redbud
Tree. White flowers. Young new leaves emerge yellow-green, not purplish. This is a variety (sometimes called a forma or a cultivar), so it generally comes true-to-type from seed, especially if nearby pollen is also from white-flowering redbud trees. If not, a cultivar, 'Alba' tree can be fertilized by a pink-flowering tree with subsequent pink-flowering offspring. Zones 5-9. Grows to 20-30' tall and 25-35' wide. Develops a spreading, rounded crown, or moderately globe-shaped. Fast grower. Foliage is lighter green than the species. Yellow to yellow-green fall color is not outstanding some years. Not tolerant of drought or wind. Avoid wet sites.
BT008539
