Redbud trees are shining beacons of spring
Each spring, I am reminded of a wonderful drive down interstate 40 in Tennessee. It was April and along the median and sides of the highway was the most spectacular display of pinkish-purple flowers that dotted the landscape for miles and miles. It was before the days of cell phone cameras or I would have stopped to photograph the sight. These trees were the Eastern redbud (cercis candensis), which are native to the U.S. and they display an abundance of flowers on bare branches.
These lovely trees are a familiar sight, from southern Michigan to central Mexico, and from New England to Georgia. Where I grew up we called it the Judas tree and I was told it was called this because Judas Iscariot hanged himself from this species after he betrayed Jesus. We had a Judas tree in our backyard that was encircled with thrift (Phlox subulate) or creeping phlox, with daffodils and tulips around the base of the tree. We would find Easter eggs inside the thrift and the redbud seemed to always bloom at Easter.
The redbud tree is a glorious tree and a shining beacon of beauty in the landscape in early spring. The countless number of thousands of lavender-pink flowers cover the branches and you know spring is here when in flower. Redbuds are relatively easy to grow and will take full sun or part shade. They prefer moist soil but will adapt to a variety of conditions and soil.
In recent years, new varieties of redbuds have been introduced, ones that are some of my very favorite trees in my garden.
Some have been found in the wild and others have had the loving hands of different nurserymen working to bring out different traits that they possess. The different hues of pinks, whites and lavenders are now accompanied with leaves that are a dramatic sight after the flowers have faded. The leaves of some of these trees, which were inconspicuous the rest of the year, have been given new life.
The first redbud I bought that had a different characteristic was Forest Pansy. It has new foliage that is purple-red that turns deep maroon in summer. Then in the fall, the leaves turned deep red, purple with a hint of gold. I planted two of them to stand out against the dark green foliage of other plants and I found the contrasting color was spectacular.
I was visiting a botanical garden and came across Pink Pom Pom, with its full double blooms that caught my eye. The outstanding flower color, which is deeper in color than other redbuds, was on bare branches in attractive clusters. This tree is sterile and so you do not have any seed pods or have to worry about this tree seeding around the yard.
Another unusual redbud is Whitewater, which has a weeping habit and variegated leaves. It has the pea-shaped flowers that typify the redbud, but as the leaves emerge, you see lovely heartshaped leaves that emerge mostly white with flecks of green. As the leaves mature, the leaves turn green with white flecks and the weeping habit makes it look like a waterfall or white water.
My very favorite redbud at the moment is Rising Sun. It has lovely lavender-pink flowers that hug the branches and then as the new foliage unfolds, you have heart-shaped deep apricot leaves appearing that mature to shades of orange, gold and yellow. As the season progresses, the foliage turns a shade of lime green in the summer heat. It makes a dramatic show from a distance.
Here are the redbuds that I am aware of that are available with a brief description of their traits:
h Silver Cloud: Green leaves irregularly blotched with white.
h Ace of Hearts: Dwarf tree perfect for smaller gardens. h Alba: White flowers. h Appalachian Red: Hot pink flowers. h Carolina Sweetheart: Foliage has pink, white and green leaves. h Covey: Dwarf weeping habit. h Flame thrower: Leaves go from burgundy to yellow to green.
h Forest Pansy: Purple foliage, pink flowers.
h Golden falls: Weeping habit with golden leaves in spring. h Hearts of Gold: Golden foliage. h Pink Pom Pom: Double flowers. h Rising Sun: Foliage is lime green, yellow and apricot in spring.
h Ruby Falls: Purple foliage, weeping habit.
h Silver Cloud: Variegated green and white foliage.
h Whitewater: Weeping habit with flecks of white on the leaves.
When you are visiting your favorite specialty garden center, see which ones they carry. And remember, “March may come in like a lion and go out like a lamb,” but one thing is certain – on its way out we get to enjoy these beautiful native redbud trees. The Eastern redbud, a wonderful plant to consider planting or one to admire as you drive around in the spring.
Betty Montgomery is a master gardener and author of “Hydrangeas: How To Grow, Cultivate & Enjoy,” and “A Fourseason Southern Garden.” She can be reached at bmontgomery40@gmail. com.