PSC 2620: Woody Trees and ShrubCourse HomeWeek 5

Cercis canadensis - Eastern Redbud

Plant Viewer
Blooms similar to pea blossoms appear in the spring before the tree leafs out. The leave is almost perfectly cordate. New leaves are tinged with red on the margin.
Pea-pod fruit appears by mid-summer. The pods become dry and brown in the fall. They can give the tree a somewhat unkempt look once the leaves have fallen. The bark is brown-gray with fissures.

Plant Description

Cercis canadensis, or Eastern Redbud, is a small to medium sized ornamental tree. It has abroad, oval shape, and can mature to be wider than it is tall (20 to 30 feet tall by 25 to 35 feet wide). It typically branches close to the ground, with only a short main trunk. While not common, it is very beautiful as a multi-stemmed tree. Naturally it is an understory tree, and it will perform best where it has some shade to protect it from the heat of the day.

The bark is a reddish-brown color when young, and then it turns to a dull brown-gray as it matures. The reddish-brown color is visible in cracks and fissures that form on the old bark, creating some minor ornamental interest.

The leaves have a true cordate shape and are 3-5 inches long and wide. Young leaves emerge from the buds a light green color with red highlights on the margin and tip, and then mature to a dark green by summer time. They are arranged oppositely on the stem.

In the spring, before the leaves appear, bright pea-shaped pink blossoms appear prolifically in clusters of 4-8 flowers. Blossoms will often appear on old wood and trunks, as well as on new branches. Following the flowering, 2-3 inch long pea-pod seeds appear on the tree. During the summer the pods are light green, but they turn to a dark brown in the fall. They are often prolific, but are fortunately persistent.

Landscape Use

It is an excellent selection for an ornamental flowering tree. It is best used in a location where it will receive some protection from both the summer sun and winter cold. Irregularly-formed groves of Cercis canadensis are an attractive use of the tree.

Points of interest

While there are many fine specimens in Cache Valley, it is truly hardy to only zone 5, and some winter kill may occur on the tree during exceptionally cold winters. It is not a particularly long-lived tree, and specimens in the valley probably live even shorter due to being planted in a borderline region for the species hardiness.

Notable Cultivars

Forest Pansy A purple-leaved variety of Eastern Redbud. The young foliage emerges purple and is very glossy. In our climate the purple color of the leaf is bleached out by the sun and the tree turns a green color by summer.


Covey A small form of the tree with a strong weeping form and contorted branches. Only reaches 5-7 feet tall.


Alba A white blooming variety of Eastern Redbud. It shares the same form and size as the regular species.