Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant:

Name: Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud)

1. Family: Fabaceae (legume family)
2. Plant type: Small tree
3. Exposure: Sun or filtered shade
4. Branching pattern: Alternate, with a sort of zig-zag tendency at the branch tips.
5. Habit: Small tree, rounded but spreading canopy. Tree reaches 20-30 ft tall with a slightly wider spread.
6. Foliage: Cordate (heart shaped) leaves that start out a rosy red, purple, or bronze color but typically darken to a dark green, depending on the variety. Leaves are about 4-5 inches long/wide.
7. Flowers: Pink or white.flowers with a unique shape that is typical of plants in the legume (pea) family. Blooms early in the spring before leaves emerge. Flowers all along the delicate branches, and even on old wood (trunk and older parts of the branches)
8. Fruit: Much like flat pea pods, and about 3-4 inches in length; may be a bit messy.
9. Similar species: Cercis chinensis (Chinese redbud)
10. Other: Though the name suggests this tree is from Canada, it is really native to the United States. It exhibits good heat and cold tolerance, allowing it to be grown in zones 4-9.