The powerful floral display of the Eastern Redbud Tree

One of the first signs of spring is the bloom of the redbud trees. The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is native to much of the eastern United States and Canada. It hides inconspicuously in the edges of wooded areas, along roadsides or backyards, for much of the year and then gives a spectacular show of color in March when temperatures first start to warm after a long winter. The floral buds are a reddish purple, but open to lighter shades of pink. Floral color lasts for a few weeks.

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) in summer form and in spring bloom

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) 'Merlot Redbud'

Redbuds are one of our finest native trees. They don’t do much other than flower, though their unique and relatively large heart-shaped leaves are interesting. Their flower display is so powerful, however, that that single attribute makes them beloved. In landscapes, they can be a powerful specimen tree in the right location. Partial shade and moist, well-drained soil is ideal. Plant them where they can attract lots of attention during their bloom period, but be complemented by other plants that are more aesthetically pleasing once that bloom has passed.  

One of the interesting characteristics of Redbud trees is their ability to produce flowers not just on young stems or branch tips, like most plants do, but also on older branches and even trunks. A tree with this ability is called a cauliflory. You’d never see azaleas or crape myrtles or most other common trees and shrubs with blossoms attached directly to trunks, but Redbuds are often adorned with flowers in this area, and on rare occasion trunks may be completely covered by blooms. You may not notice this on a Redbud tree you’re passing by in your vehicle, but if you happen to have an older tree in your yard or where you can take a close inspection, you’ll undoubtedly notice this characteristic.

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)  is cauliflous, meaning they can produce blooms on their trunks.

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) 'Forest Pansy'

Redbuds generally grow to about 20 to 25 feet height, with a similar, perhaps even slightly wider, spread. They are somewhat slow growing, though will grow quicker in good soils with adequate water and nutrients. They have relatively few insect and disease problems, though canker can be problematic and some insects will

occasionally do some light feeding. The leaves are very thin, so when planted in too much sun, they are susceptible to browning around the edges.

Though the native Eastern Redbud is the redbud most commonly planted in home landscapes, a Chinese Redbud and hybrid cultivars of both the native and Chinese type may also be found on occasion. A longtime favorite cultivar, ‘Forest Pansy,’ has flowers that are a much darker pink than the standard redbud and leaves that emerge burgundy red. They hold color through much of the year, before eventually fading to a more subdued color. There are also weeping forms, forms with twisted and contorted stems, white-flowering cultivars, cultivars with double flowers, and many that have colorful foliage. The JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh has  been active

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) 'Flame Thrower

in breeding and introducing new cultivars of redbuds and boasts an impressive collection of those releases. These include cultivars such as ‘Flame Thrower’, ‘Ruby Falls’, ‘Merlot’, and ‘Hearts of Gold’.

Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center.  If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Infoline at 252-902-1705.