Cercis canadensis
Common name:
Eastern Redbud
Pronunciation:
SER-sis kan-a-DEN-sis
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Deciduous tree, 20-30 ft (6-9 m), spreading, ascending branches, flattish top. Leaves alternate, simple, 7.5-13 cm across, heart-shaped (cordate), margin entire, conspicuous swelling just below blade, lustrous dark green color; fall color is usually mixture of pale green and yellow, although occasionally bright yellow to even golden. Small (13 mm) rosy-pink flowers in spring before leaves appear, some produced on older limbs. There is also a white flowered form, var. alba. Fruit is a flat pod, 5-7.5 cm long, about 1.25 cm wide, green, finally brownish black, fruit set may be heavy and fruit persist through winter.
- Sun to part shade. Does well in many soil types, except permanently wet, adaptable to acid and alkaline.
- Hardy to USDA Zone (3) 4, some variation. Native range from New Jersey to Florida, west to Missouri and northern Mexico.
- Cercis: refers to a weaver's shuttle (Greek kerkis), apparently alluding to shape of the fruit. canadensis: of Canada (Actually its native range probably included only the most southerly part of Ontario, however it has become naturalized in a wider region.)
- Oregon State Univ. campus: southeast of Ag. and Life Sciences, near east door. This tree was covered with "frozen fog" in December.
Click image to enlarge
-
plant habit, flowering
-
plant habit, in a landscape
-
older tree, flowering
-
flowering branches
-
flowers
-
flower
-
flowers on trunks
-
expanding leaves and young fruit
-
plant habit, summer
-
leaves
-
leaves
-
leaves, comparison
-
leaves and developing fruit
-
fruit developing on the trunk
-
mature fruit
-
plant habit, fall
-
leaves, fall
-
plant habit and leaf, fall
-
plant habit, winter
-
trunk, bark
-
trunk, bark, 30 year-old tree
-
winter twigs, buds
