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.
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  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • plant habit, in a landscape

    plant habit, in a landscape

  • older tree, flowering

    older tree, flowering

  • flowering branches

    flowering branches

  • flowers

    flowers

  • flower

    flower

  • flowers on trunks

    flowers on trunks

  • expanding leaves and young fruit

    expanding leaves and young fruit

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaves, comparison

    leaves, comparison

  • leaves and developing fruit

    leaves and developing fruit

  • fruit developing on the trunk

    fruit developing on the trunk

  • mature fruit

    mature fruit

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • leaves, fall

    leaves, fall

  • plant habit and leaf, fall

    plant habit and leaf, fall

  • plant habit, winter

    plant habit, winter

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark

  • trunk, bark, 30 year-old tree

    trunk, bark, 30 year-old tree

  • winter twigs, buds

    winter twigs, buds