General Information Scientific name: Cercis occidentalisPronunciation: SER-sis ock-sih-den-TAY-lissCommon name(s): Western redbud, California redbudFamily: LeguminosaeUSDA hardiness zones: 6A through 9B (Fig. Produces flowers on trunk and branches (cauliflory), usually more common in tropical plants, thought to be useful for pollinators without wings. In early spring, before leaf-out, a profusion of small, sweet pea –shaped, lavender-pink to rosy purple flowers appears on twigs, branches, and even the main trunk. Full-grown Western redbud typically stay below 10 feet tall. For instance, local ecotypes in drier climates will have smaller leaves. Western redbuds produce purple seed pods that keep their color throughout the summer. Others are alba (white flowers), forest pansy (purplish foliage and rosy-purple blooms), silver cloud (variegated foliage), and flame (double pink blooms). Redbuds (Cercis spp.) Some plants grow excessively taller so they need proper pruning from time to time. Plant Catalog Landscape Materials Knowledge As summer fades, so does the foliage, and the leaves dull to a deeper, darker gold. Beautiful in all seasons, this highly ornamental small tree is covered with masses of brilliant rose-purple blossoms in early spring. The canker girdles the stem and the leaves above wilt and die. Providing four-season interest, Cercis occidentalis (Western Redbud) is a deciduous shrub or small tree of great beauty. On their own in late winter, branches provide a pleasing silver silhouette. 'Rising Sun' redbud ... As fall leaves drop, now is the time to look at spots in the landscape that can benefit from evergreen foliage that also provides winter interest. Vibrant, deep magenta flower clusters are either stalkless or borne in short racemes and appear to hug the branches. Resistant to oak root fungus. Shading Capacity Rated as Moderate in Leaf. Check the length of the petiole, or stem. Flowers in Spring. Leaves start out a copper color, before developing into a bright yellow in the summer. Flowers pea-like, 12 mm long, purplish-pink, appear before leaves, blooms February-April. Winter chill required for good bloom. Produces flowers on trunk and branches (cauliflory), usually more common in tropical plants, thought to be useful for pollinators without wings. long, with pointed tips. However our University of California information does not list this. One common variety in the U.S. is the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), thriving in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4b through 9a. Flowers of redbud Cercis orbiculata — Greene), is a small tree or shrub in the legume family. This redbud is a dwarf variety, reaching up to 12 feet tall. Flowers develop before the leaves in spring, emerging in clusters along the branches. The showy flowers are pea-like and rosy pink with a purplish tinge. Western redbuds have a lifespan of 40 to 150 years, but Eastern redbuds are short lived and rarely survive 30 y… The Western Redbud is native to California, Arizona, and Utah. Likes full sun or part shade. When autumn nights turn crisp, leaves on the interior of a redbud tree will turn yellow, while the outer leaves remain green. Leaves are dark green in summer and yellowish in autumn. Redbuds growing in the sun will be compact and rounded; when grown in shade, their form is loose, open and tall. Heart-shaped leaves 2 to 6 inches in length emerge a reddish color, turning dark green in summer and then a bright canary yellow in autumn. Western redbud is a good soil stabilizer along streams, and can withstand periodic flooding. The silvery-gray branches contrast beautifully with pink flowers in spring and purple seed pods in summer. California native, drought tolerant once established. 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