Cercis: Redbud
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Redbuds are one of spring's eye-catchers when they're covered trunk to tips in flowers. Cute heart-shape leaves in green, purple or gold follow, adorning zig-zagging branches. Most redbuds are small upright trees with round canopies, but a few weeping cultivars exist as well.
Mauve flowers in early spring, matte green leaves, gold fall color. Upright tree shape.
Grows 25-30’ x 25-30’, sun-pt shade, Zone 4.
Forest Pansy is a very pretty tree with mauve purple flowers on bare branches in spring, purple heart-shape leaves turn red, orange & gold in autumn. Bare branches in winter are dark purple and grow in a lacy zig-zag pattern.
Grows 25’ x 25’, sun-pt shade, Zone 5.
A purple-leafed weeping Redbud! Mauve flowers, graceful weep to the ground, makes a dome shape.
Grows 6-8’ x 4-6’, sun-part shade, Zone 5.
Bright magenta flowers coat branches from trunk to tip, glossy green heart-shape leaves turn gold in fall.
Grows 10-12’ x 10-12’, sun-part shade, Zone 5.
November-May
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Cercis (SEER-sis)
Common: Redbud
Origin: Native to East Asia, Southern Europe, United States and Mexico
Characteristics: Members of the pea family, the genus consists of 7 species of shrubs and small trees. Small pea-flowers are white, pink or magenta; occur in clusters or short chains (racemes), usually on old wood in early spring. Leaves are heart-shape and can be green, gold, purple or variegated. Leathery seed pods resemble pea pods and occur in summer.
Size: Shrub forms are multi-stemmed and grow 8-10’ x 8-10’. Tree forms range between 10’ at maturity to 25-30’. Weeping forms grow to 6-8’.
Culture: Sun or part shade, adapts to many soil types, but 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.
Problems: Susceptible to Verticillium wilt — read more about it here.
With insufficient soil drainage, trees can experience root rot. This is likely the leading cause of death of Cercis in Portland.
We carry a wide variety of trees year-round. These represent only a fraction of what you will find and are some of our favorites. Note: Viewing a Native Plant will take you into our Native Plant section.
