Redbud
Cercis canadensis L.
Also known as Judas Tree.
Mature Size: 15 to 30 feet in height and 6 to 10 inches in diameter.
Form: Small tree with thick, spreading branches and an often twisted trunk.
Habitat: Understory of moist, well-drained woodlands.
Leaves
Alternate, simple, heart shaped, smooth edged, 3 to 5 inches long and wide.
Flowers
Bright pink to purple, ½ inch long, similar to pea flowers, in clusters along the twigs and small branches, appearing before the leaves in early spring.
Fruit
Oblong, flattened, many-seeded pod, 2 to 4 inches long, resembling a snow pea pod.
Bark
Initially smooth and brown, later ridged and furrowed to scaly and dark gray; may have some maroon patches evident and orange in the cracks.
Twigs
Slender and zigzag, nearly black, spotted with lighter pores; leaf buds tiny, dark red to chestnut in color; flowers buds are round and often in large clusters on older woody stems.
Values and Uses
The wood is heavy, hard, not strong, and rich, dark brown in color. It has little commercial value. Some birds and mammals eat the seeds. Redbud is planted as an ornamental tree suitable for small landscapes.
Did You Know?
As a member of the legume family, redbud roots are able to convert nitrogen from the air into a form plants can use. As a result, it can grow in poor soil and can actually improve the soil in which it grows.
