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Redbud Tree - Cercis Canadensis

The Redbud Tree is an excellent specimen plant that brings beauty to lawns, gardens, parks, and borders. Its vibrant spring blooms, lush green summer foliage, and intriguingly varied branches provide seasonal interest and texture.

This fast-growing tree can outperform anything planted near it with show-stopped purple blooms in the warm season when paired with flowering annuals, perennials, and other shrubs.

Flowers of Redbud Trees

This showy shrub bursts through with beautiful blooms in early spring. The flowers are about ½ inches wide and form clusters along the tree branches. Flower clusters range from light to deep pink and purple, and they can also be white. Heart-shaped leaves appear after blooming and last up to three weeks.

Redbud Tree's Leaves

Leaves of the trees are about two to six inches in width. They start out as light red and progressively become bright green over the summer. Leaves become a greenish-yellow hue and can contain hints of red and orange in the fall. Next, flat pod-like leaves appear. Pods are about two to four inches in length. Pods start as light green and become deep brown as they mature over the winter. Seeds inside the pods can re-propagate after falling to the ground.

Limbs and Trunk

This shrub has a multi-trunk shape that divides near the ground. Multiple limbs and branches extend outward in a graceful manner. This offers a touch of landscaping interest and color extension. The brown bark is typically smooth and bare when young. The bark becomes scaly and turns dark gray as it matures. The bark is smooth and ranges from brown to light gray throughout the year. In winter, the bark becomes scaly with deep cracks. Flowers can sometimes bloom along the limbs and trunk. Called “cauliflory,” this adds a unique element to the garden aesthetic.

Height of Cercis Canadensis

Incredibly versatile, a redbud ranges in size from a shrub to a small sapling. With an average height expectancy of 20 to 30 feet and limbs and branches that can spread up to 35 feet in width, they offer a variety of landscaping possibilities. Considered an understory, meaning it grows between taller varieties and the ground, it provides habitat and environmental benefits and a colorful and textual addition to the landscape.