Cercis siliquastrum
Common name: 
Judus Tree
Mediterranean Redbud
Love Tree
Pronunciation: 
SER-sis SIL-ik-as-trum
Family: 
Fabaceae
Genus: 
Cercis
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous tree, shruby habit to a single trunk, 15-30 ft (4.5-10 m) tall, spreading.  Leaves alternate, simple, round (suborbicular), 7-12 cm across, base deeply cordate, apex rounded or emarginate (with a shallow notch), margin entire, bronze reddish-purple when emerging, slightly blue-green when mature, undulating surface, yellow in fall.  Flowers pea-like, 1.5-2 cm long, rose-purple, in groups of 3-6, may persist with the leaves for an extended period.  Fruit pod-like, 7-10 cm long and 2 cm wide, remaining well into winter.
  • Sun to part shade.  Best with some winter chill
  • Hardy to USDA Zone (6)7      Native to southern Europe and western Asia.  The common redbud of England and Europe.
  • siliquastrum: like a silique, from the similarity of the pod to the fruit (silique) found in Cruciferae.
  • Portland, Oregon: Hoyt Arboretum
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • flowering branches

    flowering branches

  • flowers

    flowers

  • flowers and previous season's fruit

    flowers and previous season's fruit

  • plant habit, early fall

    plant habit, early fall

  • leaves

    leaves