Cercis occidentalis
Common name: 
Western Redbud
California Redbud
Pronunciation: 
SER-sis ok-si-den-TA-lis
Family: 
Fabaceae
Genus: 
Cercis
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous shrub, or small tree, to 16 ft (5 m) tall, often multistemmed, rounded crown.  Twigs slender, angled, smooth, brown bark with lighter lenticels.  Leaves alternate, simple, 4-9 cm long, may be somewhat wider, nearly round to kidney shaped (reniform), 7-9 veins from the cordate (heart shaped) base, shallow notch (emarginate) or rounded at the apex, mostly hairless, dark green above and paler below.  Flowers pea-like, 12 mm long, purplish-pink, appear before leaves, blooms February-April.  Fruit pod-like, flat, 5-9 cm long, narrowly oblong, brown or purplish, maturing in late summer, may hold brownish pods in winter.
  • Sun to part shade.  Best with well-drained soil.  Drought tolerant, does well on infrequently watered banks.  Tolerant of alkaline and acid soils.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 6  (Less hardy than C. canadensis.)    Native range includes Utah, Arizona (common in the Grand Canyon National Park), and especially California.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: small garden at the southeast entrance to Ag. & Life Sciences (ALS)
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  • plant habit, spring flowering

    plant habit, spring flowering

  • plant habit, spring flowering

    plant habit, spring flowering

  • flowering branches, spring

    flowering branches, spring

  • flowers

    flowers

  • flower

    flower

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaf

    leaf

  • fruit and leaves

    fruit and leaves

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • leafy shoots, fall

    leafy shoots, fall

  • leaf, fall

    leaf, fall

  • winter twigs, buds

    winter twigs, buds