Cercis: Redbud
Redbuds are showstoppers when they're covered trunk to tips in flowers every spring.
Plant care & info
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Cercis (SEER-sis)
Common Name: Redbud
Native to East Asia, Southern Europe, United States, and Mexico.
Members of the pea family, the genus consists of 7 species of shrubs and small trees. Small pea-flowers are white, pink, or magenta, and they occur in clusters or short chains (racemes)—usually on old wood in early spring. Leaves are heart-shaped and can be green, gold, purple, or variegated. Leathery seed pods resemble pea pods and occur in summer.
Shrub forms are multi-stemmed and grow 8-10’x8-10’. Tree forms range between 10’ at maturity to 25-30’. Weeping forms grow to 6-8’.
Redbuds prefer sun or part shade, and they can adapt to many soil types—although they cannot survive in a site that is permanently wet. Cercis grows better when planted in a spot that is not in a sprinkler zone during summer. In heavy clay soils, amend with compost & pumice to increase soil drainage. Provide deep watering every 2 weeks in the first summer. If it gets really hot, say over 95 degrees, give an additional soaking before the heat comes. Cercis is drought tolerant once established.
Susceptible to Verticillium wilt. With insufficient soil drainage, trees can experience root rot. This is the leading cause of death of Cercis in Portland.
Cute, heart-shaped leaves—ranging from green to purple or gold—adorn zig-zagging branches. Most redbuds are small, upright trees with round canopies, but a few weeping cultivars exist as well.
