Tree of Merit: Eastern redbud
(Cercis canadensis)
By Jean Zimmerman
Consulting Arborist for SavATree and MFI Graduate
Some folks out there are not that
fond of the Eastern redbud, who judge
its spread as almost invasive, the way
a single specimen will proliferate along
a roadside during April like a brightly
colored blossoming weed. But with
its distinctive habit, I happen to think
Cercis canadensis possesses poise in
miniature and even a kind of magic.
That habit lies in its flowers, which
emerge in March or April as a purple
bud opening to a hallucinatory pink or
a deep magenta. The redbud flowers
unlike any other tree in America, with
blossoms emerging directly from the
branches and trunk of the tree. The
botanical term for this growth is cauli-
fory, referring to flowers and fruit that
emerge from out of the main stem,
and ramiflory, which means flowers
that grow from branches. The redbud
manages to do both, giving the tree
a mystical flavor, like something you
might find on an old Japanese >>
urban-forestry.com 39
5HGEXGFDXOLIRU\ŋŴRZHUVJURZLQJULJKWIURP
main stem. Photo by Michelle Sutton
5HGEXGUDPLŴRU\ŋŴRZHUVJURZLQJ
right from branches. Photo from Cornell
Woody Plants Database (CWPD)
Cercis blossoms are
deliciously edible and
make a beautiful addition
to spring salads.
