Eastern redbud

Eastern redbud: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small tree of 5–9 m with a broad, rounded to spreading crown, often multi-stemmed.

Leaves

Heart-shaped, 7–12 cm, with a pointed tip; green, yellow in autumn.

Flowers

Small pink to purplish-pink pea-like flowers in clusters on the bare branches, sometimes even on the trunk, in April and May.

Fruit

Flat, brown pods of 5–10 cm that stay on the tree for a long time.

Roots

A deep taproot, which is why it transplants badly once established.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: March–April and October–December · Pruning: June

Why grow it?

• A spectacular pink display on the bare branches in April and May.
• Beautiful heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in autumn.
• Early bees and bumblebees find food on the flowers.
• A small tree with a graceful, broad crown: suitable for a smaller garden.
• Flat, brown pods that hang on the branches into winter.

Eastern redbud: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; it flowers best in sun.
• Free-draining sandy, loamy or clay soil, acid to chalky.
• Moist soil, without waterlogging in winter.
• Sheltered from cold winds, so late frosts spare the flowers and young leaves.
• Allow 4–5 m of space and choose the final position from the start.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

6 m tall, 7 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -28 °C)

Goes well with

• Grape hyacinth: A blue carpet beneath the pink flowers in April.
• Daffodil: Yellow at its feet, at the same time as the first flowers.
• Lungwort: Small blue and pink flowers and spotted leaves in the partial shade under the crown.
• Hosta: Large leaves that cover the base once flowering is over.

Eastern redbud: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–December.

1. Plant from October to December or in March–April, when the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Choose a young tree in a pot: small trees establish far better than large ones.
3. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and loosen the bottom, but do not dig deeper.
4. Set the tree at the same depth as it was in the pot without disturbing the root ball, and firm the soil.
5. Put in a short stake and water in straight away with a large bucket of water.
6. Spread a mulch around the base, but keep it clear of the trunk.

Care

Watering

For the first two to three years, a bucket a week in dry weather. After that only in long droughts.

Feeding

Some compost under the crown in March. Nothing more is needed.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould keeps the soil cool and moist.

Stake

Remove the stake after two or three years and check the tie every spring.

Do not move

Leave it where it is: an established tree transplants badly.

Tip: Buy a young tree in a pot and plant it without disturbing the root ball: young trees establish far better than large ones. Give it a sheltered, sunny spot so late frosts spare the flowers.

Eastern redbud: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June.

When: After flowering, in June, and only when needed.

How:

• Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches.
• Cut just outside the swollen collar at the base of the branch, without leaving a stub.
• Avoid large pruning wounds: they heal poorly and let in fungi.
• In the first years, shape a young tree with a few strong main branches or stems.

Caution: It flowers on old wood, even on the trunk. So do not prune in winter, and do not remove thick branches without good reason.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Collect the pods in autumn. Pour hot water over the hard seeds and leave them to soak overnight, then keep them moist in the fridge for two months and sow in spring.

Grafting

Cultivars such as ‘Forest Pansy’ are grafted by nurseries. That is difficult at home: buy a young grafted tree.

Eastern redbud: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −28 °C.

• Hardy to about −28 °C: an established tree needs no protection in Belgium.
• Late frosts in April can damage the flowers and young leaves; a sheltered spot helps.
• On frosty nights during flowering, you can cover young trees with horticultural fleece.
• Stand a young tree in a pot in a sheltered spot, with the pot wrapped in hessian.

Diseases and pests

• Verticillium wilt: Branches suddenly wilt in summer, with dark streaks in the wood. There is no cure: cut affected branches back into healthy wood.
• Coral spot: Small orange-pink pustules on dead or weakened branches. Cut those branches back into healthy wood in dry weather.
• Frosted flowers: Brown flowers and leaves after a late frost. The tree usually recovers by itself; a sheltered spot prevents it.
• Root rot: The tree struggles in heavy, wet soil. Plant it in a free-draining spot or slightly raised.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Mulch. Give compost.
• April: Flowers on the bare branches. Plant. Protect young trees on frosty nights.
• May: End of flowering; the heart-shaped leaves unfold.
• June: Prune if needed, after flowering. Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in dry weather, especially young trees.
• August: The flat pods turn brown. Water in dry weather.
• October: Yellow autumn colour. Plant. Collect seed from the pods.
• November: Plant.
• December: Plant. The brown pods hang on the branches.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The flowers grow directly from old branches and even from the trunk. This is called cauliflory and is rare among plants of our climate.
• Although it belongs to the pea family, it does not form root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, unlike most of its relatives.
• The eastern redbud is the official state tree of Oklahoma.