Meet the Eastern Redbud
Eastern Redbud | Cercis canadensis
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a small deciduous tree with a short trunk and a crown of spreading branches.
My leaves are alternate and heart-shaped, with smooth margins and a thin, papery texture.
I have dark brown bark that is smooth when I am young, and more reddish and ridged / peely when I mature. I can be single or multi-stemmed.
Pink to purple flowers cover my branches in spring in tight clusters. My flowers are small and have a look similar to the sweet pea flower.
I produce seed pods in late summer into fall, which remain on the tree into winter. They are typically about 3 inches long, flat, and brown.
How big do I grow?: 20’ - 30’ height and 20’ - 35’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade, though I prefer some afternoon shade in hot summer climates.
Where I prefer to put my roots: I prefer moist, well-drained soils and am tolerant of acidic and alkaline soils. I do not like frequently wet feet.
Hardiness: Zone 4-9
Original home: I am native to eastern and central North America.
Colors: My flowers are shades of pink to purple. I also have yellow to orange fall leaf color.
When I bloom: Early spring.
Wildlife friends: Butterflies and bees are attracted to my flowers, while birds are attracted to my seed pods. I am an important larval host plant for many species of butterflies and moths.
Flora Fun Facts: My flowers are edible! They can be baked in breads, fried, or eaten raw (as a salad garnish, for example). They have a slightly tart flavor due to a high vitamin C content.
More Info: The bright purple blooms of the redbud can't be missed, as they are one of the earliest flowering trees to ring in the spring in the eastern US. They love woodland edges, but can occupy a number of other planting sites as well. Their clusters of puffy pea-like flowers adorn the tree's branches (and sometimes the trunk), almost like floral sleeves.
A member of the Fabaceae (pea) family.
Popular understory tree for woodland gardens. They also do well in street plantings, pollinator gardens, or as shade trees in lawn areas or over patios.
Their visual impact is especially felt when planted in groups.
Native Americans used the bark to make a tea to treat whooping cough, while the roots and inner bark were used for fevers and congestion. The bark has also been used to treat dysentery and other stomach issues.
This tree responds well to pruning of low branches (for clearance) and any dead branches.
Some varieties have reddish-purple, purple, or yellow-green leaves. There is also a white-flowered form.
