Eastern Redbud - 'Cercis canadensis' Eastern Redbud is a small sturdy tree native to the United States. Growing everywhere from Canada to Florida, Eastern Redbud is a perfect tree for home landscaping. Its flowers, appearing from March to May, are light to vibrant pink in color and almost a half inch long. Flowers appear in clusters on bare stems before the leaves and last for 2 to 3 weeks. At times, the flowers even appear on the trunk itself. The Eastern Redbud is the state tree of Oklahoma. Flowers attract bees and butterflies. A deciduous tree, Redbud foliage turns a distinct yellow in fall. Eastern Redbud is a wonderful urban tree that does well in well-drained soil and is adaptable to most other types of soil. It also makes a wonderful woodland and naturalized specimen.
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| Common Name: |
Eastern Redbud |
| Popular Varieties: |
var. alba, Forest Pansy, Flame, Pinkbud, Royal White, Rubye Atkinson, Silver Cloud, Wither's Pink Charm |
| Type: |
Deciduous Ornamental Tree |
| Family: |
Fabaceae |
| Sun Requirements: |
Full Sun to Light Shade |
| Leaves: |
Leaves are alternate, simple, board-ovate to sub orbicular, (broadly hear-shaped), 3 to 5 inches across, often wider than long, and cordate. Leaves are lustrous dark green and new growth is reddish purple. Fall color is poor yellow-green but can be an excellent yellow. |
| Size: |
20 to 30 feet in height by 25 to 35 feet in spread. |
| Hardiness: |
Zone 4 to 9. For an idea of your plant zone please visit the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. |
| Habit: |
Usually a small tree with the trunk divided close to the ground forming a spreading, flat-topped to rounded crown; very handsome with its gracefully ascending branches. |
| Rate: |
Medium. |
| Flowers: |
Perfect, reddish purple in bud, opening to a rosy-pink with a purplish tinge, 1/2 inch long; on a 1/2 inch long pedicel; open in March-April and are effective for 2 to 3 weeks; borne 4 to 8 together, fascicled or racemose; often flowers are produced on old trunks 4 to 8 inches in diameter; flowers at a young age, 4 o 6 years. |
| Diseases & Insects: |
Canker is the most destructive disease of redbud and can cause many stems to die, leaf spots and Verticillium wilt are other disease problems; tree hoppers, caterpillars, scales and leafhoppers can also cause damage. |
| Landscape Value: |
Effective as a single specimen, in groupings in the shrub border, especially nice in woodland and naturalized type situation; one of the favorite eastern United Sates native plants. |
| Soil Preference: |
Enjoys moist, well-drained, deep soils; however, does exceedingly well in many soil types except permanently wet ones; adaptable to alkaline soils. |
| Care: |
Water regularly after initial planting. Does not require pruning; however, does need clearing of numerous small dead branches that occur under the canopy of the tree. |
| Fertilization: |
Fertilize an area three times the canopy spread of the tree 1 to 2 times a year with a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Only fertilize an established tree.
| | Planting Instructions: |
Dig a hole three times the diameter of the root system, with a depth no deeper than the original soil line on trunk. Break up the soil to the finest consistency possible. Place plant in hole and fill, compacting the fill dirt. Water the plant heavily to seal soil around the roots and remove air pockets. Water well, and remember to water regularly until they have started to grow.
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