Eastern Redbud For The Home Landscape

March 20, 2000
There are a number of applications in the home landscape for small flowering trees. As properties become more compact the need for large shades trees is often reduced. Small trees can function well as accents off the front corner of the home when they can be incorporated into shrub beds to secure privacy in an entry garden.

Small flowering trees can also be used as screening plants in the private area to the rear or side of the home. Their lower habit of growth allows them to disrupt visual intrusions onto the property from outside, while keeping your interest on the property.

When planted near a patio or similar outdoor living space small flowering trees can be very effective for their shade. When used to the east or west of such space they are able to intercept the lower sun’s rays in either the early or late parts of the day.

Eastern Redbud - Cercis canadensis , is a small flowering tree that will function well in all the above mentioned applications in the home landscape. It has a mature height of about 25 to 30 feet with an equal spread to form a broad and rounded canopy. In the early spring, well before the arrival of foliage cover, the larger branches and smaller limbs and twigs are covered with dense clusters of bright rosy-pink blossoms. Each flower is about one-half inch across and persists for 2 to 3 weeks.

During the summer months, 3 to 5 inch, heart-shaped leaves cover the canopy to produce shade below. Fall leaf color is a bright golden yellow. After leaf drop, the elongated, flattened seed pods become visible along the limbs and twigs. The fruit will persist well into the winter months to provide an interesting texture to the top of the tree.

Redbud will grow in any moist, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. Avoid poorly drained, heavy clay soils which slow the plants establishment and survival. Pruning requirements are minimal because of a lack of sucker growth often found on many other popular small flowering trees. In fact, once established the tree should need little attention.

In addition to the true species, there are several cultivars available for the landscape. Cercis canadensis ‘Alba’ - White-flowered Redbud, as the common name suggests, has white blossoms in the spring. The tree is identical to the species in all aspects accept for the flower color and it provides ideal contrast when introduced into a planting with the species.

The purple-foliaged cultivar ‘Forest Pansy’ is being propagated in significant numbers by nurseries and is beginning to appear in garden centers. Low night temperatures in the spring help to retain the almost purple-black leaf color. However in the warmer days of summer with higher night temperatures the leaf color may loose some of its intensity.

If your landscape needs lean towards a small scale, flowering tree, consider Cercis canadensis or one of its cultivars.

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**Dr. Robert Nuss is a horticulturist at Penn State. He coordinates all extension horticulture programs. He has bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in ornamental horticulture and has been on the Penn State faculty since 1966.