On this third Thursday of the month we are going to take a quick look at the Eastern Redbud Tree!
- Scientific Name: Cercis canadensis
- Lifespan: 50-70 years
- Height: 20-30 feet
- Width: Trunk width isn’t too impressive, but the canopy can reach 25-35 feet
- Bark: Younger bark is gray, maturing to scaly dark brown with cinnamon-orange color underneath the outer bark
- Family: Legume or pea family
The Eastern Redbud tree, Native to most of the country east of the Rockies, is an early spring bloomer, often one of the first to bloom in early April. The buds are bright magenta in color before opening, once fully opened the flowers are rosy pink, and oh so beautiful! Look closely at the photo below, you see the flower closely resembles that of peas. Also, the branch further back shows the zig-zag pattern of the outer branches.
The illustration below shows a fairly upright growth habit, when often, the branches grow irregularly and twist and turn – especially when growing naturally in the woods. If not growing naturally in the woods, where do they grow? Well, there are many different varieties of the Eastern Redbud, and they are used in residential landscapes quite frequently.
Brightly colored blooms, often the first sign of spring; fun zig-zag branches, and know what else? HEART SHAPED LEAVES! (maybe I should have done this post in February!) The heart shaped leaves are sometimes purplish-red in color as they emerge, then turn to bright green and mature into a dark green. So fun!
When growing naturally, the buds produce pea-like pods with seeds. These are great food for birds, and squirrels. When they fall to the ground, they sprout pretty quickly. Next time you see an Eastern Redbud, check underneath for little heart shaped leaves on the tiniest of saplings!
This is one of my FAVORITE trees east of the Rockies!
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