Judas tree

Judas tree: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small tree or large shrub of 4–8 m, often multi-stemmed, with a broad, rounded crown.

Leaf

Alternate, 6–10 cm, round to kidney-shaped with a heart-shaped base, untoothed and blue-green, with 7–9 veins from the base.

Bark

Dark grey to blackish, finely cracked.

Flower

Pink to purple pea flowers in clusters on bare twigs, old branches and the trunk, in April–May, just before the leaves.

Fruit

Flat, reddish-brown pods (6–10 cm) that hang on into winter.

Difference from katsura tree

The katsura tree has toothed leaves in opposite pairs.

Difference from eastern redbud

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) has leaves with a pointed tip; in the variety ‘Forest Pansy’ they are deep red.

Flowering: April–May · Harvest and fruit: April–May · Pruning: June–July

Identify by feature: Heart-shaped leaves · Pink blossom · Purple or blue flowers · Pods

Looks like it, but isn’t

• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis): leaves with a pointed tip, deep red in ‘Forest Pansy’.
• Katsura tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum: toothed leaves in opposite pairs. Difference from katsura tree

Why grow it?

• Spectacular pink flowers on bare twigs and even on the trunk, in April–May.
• Stays small (4–8 m): fits an ordinary garden, also as a multi-stemmed tree.
• Tolerates drought and chalk, and needs little pruning.
• Early flowers for bees and bumblebees; the flowers are even edible.

Judas tree: where does it grow best?

• Full sun and warmth: against a south-facing wall or in a sheltered, sunny spot it flowers most freely.
• Well-drained, dry to normal soil; chalk is no problem, wet soil is.
• Sheltered from cold winds: young plants and the flower buds are sensitive to severe frost and late frosts.
• Allow about 5 m across; it fits an ordinary garden.

Light

Full sun

Legal basis

Any garden soil

Moisture

Dry

Size

7 m tall, 5 m wide

Hardiness

Throughout Belgium, no protection needed

Goes well with

• English lavender: Like the Judas tree, it loves sun, warmth and dry, chalky soil; together a Mediterranean scene.
• Rosemary: An evergreen Mediterranean herb for the same sunny, dry spot.
• Fig: Another southerner for a sheltered spot against a sunny wall.

Judas tree: when and how to plant it?

1. Plant in spring (April), container-grown: it then has time to root in before winter.
2. Choose the final spot straight away: it forms a deep taproot and dislikes being moved.
3. Buy a young plant: it establishes better than a large tree.
4. On heavy soil, mix gravel or coarse sand into the planting hole for good drainage.
5. Water during dry spells in the first year, rarely after that.

Care

Watering

During dry spells in the first year; after that it copes well with drought.

Feeding

Not needed; a little compost in spring is enough.

Mulch

A layer of mulch protects the roots of a young plant in winter and keeps the soil cool in summer.

Patience

A young Judas tree often only flowers freely after a few years.

Tip: Plant it where you can see it from the window in April: the flowering on the bare twigs lasts a few weeks and is the highlight of its year.

Judas tree: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June–July.

When: Dead, diseased and broken branches can be removed at any time of year. Formative pruning after flowering, in June–July.

How:

• Prune as little as possible: large wounds heal poorly.
• Leave old branches and the trunk alone: flowers appear there too in spring.
• For a multi-stemmed tree, choose three to five well-spaced stems on a young plant and remove the rest.

Caution: Dislikes being moved: choose the right spot from the start.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Sowing

In autumn, take the seeds from the pods. They have a hard seed coat: pour hot water over them, leave them to soak for a day and sow them in a pot kept outdoors. They germinate in spring; a seedling only flowers after a few years.

Judas tree: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy throughout Belgium: no protection needed.

• Hardy in Belgium and the Netherlands. Young plants are more sensitive: give them a layer of mulch and a sheltered spot for the first few winters.
• Late frosts can damage the flower buds; a spot against a wall helps.
• The flat, reddish-brown pods often hang on into winter.

Diseases and pests

• Verticillium wilt: Branches suddenly wilt in summer and die; the wood shows brown streaks. Saw off affected branches back into healthy wood and disinfect your tools; there is no cure.
• Coral spot: Small coral-pink pustules on dead branches. Remove dead wood promptly, cutting back into healthy wood.
• Wet soil: On wet, cold soil the roots rot and the tree declines. Plant it in a well-drained spot.
• Frost damage: Frozen shoot tips or flower buds after a harsh winter or late frost. Cut off dead tips in June.

Through the year

• March: Top up the mulch around a young plant.
• April: Flowers on bare twigs and trunk; plant container-grown trees.
• May: End of flowering; the blue-green leaves unfold.
• June: After flowering: light pruning, cut off dead shoot tips.
• July: Finish pruning; water young plants during dry spells.
• August: The pods turn reddish-brown.
• October: Collect seeds from the pods; mulch around a young plant.
• December: The pods still hang on the bare twigs.

What can you use it for?

Garden and landscape

Spectacular spring flowers on bare branches; lovely as a multi-stemmed tree in a sunny spot.

For wildlife

Early in the year the flowers are good for bees and bumblebees.

Food and drink

The little flowers are edible and sweet-and-sour, e.g. in a salad.

Edible and useful

Flowers (April–May)

The little pink flowers and closed flower buds in April and May, while they are still fresh and firm. They taste sweet-sour, a little like green peas: raw in a salad or as a garnish, or the buds pickled like capers.

Storing

Fresh flowers keep for a day in a closed box in the fridge. Pickled buds keep for a few months.

Caution: Only eat the flowers and flower buds, in moderation; not the pods, seeds or leaves. Pick well away from busy roads and sprayed trees, and never eat anything you have not identified with certainty.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Spring salad with Judas-tree flowers (Dish · 2 people · 10 min)
• Pickled Judas-tree buds (Vinegar · 1 jar of 200 ml · 15 min + 2 weeks)
• Judas tree flower fritters (Dish · ± 20 fritters · 30 min)
• Judas tree flower syrup (Syrup · ± 600 ml · 20 min + 24 hrs steeping)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Bumblebees

Nectar and pollen for bumblebees, also from deep flowers and early in spring.

Did you know?

• Legend has it that Judas hanged himself from this tree, and that its flowers have blushed pink with shame ever since.
• A more down-to-earth explanation: the name may be a corruption of the French ‘arbre de Judée’, tree of Judea, where it grows wild.
• It belongs to the pea family, but unlike most of its relatives it does not fix nitrogen from the air.
• Flowers growing directly on the trunk are called ‘cauliflory’; you mainly see this in tropical trees such as cacao.
• The name may not come from Judas at all but from the French ‘arbre de Judée’, tree of Judea, after the hills where it used to be common.
• Although it belongs to the pea family, the Judas tree has no root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, unlike many of its relatives.