Rural Perspectives

Our versatile and beautiful eastern redbud tree

The eastern redbud tree is a native tree of area woodlands.
Photo credit Diane Constable

by Diane Constable
The eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) tree is most noticeable during midspring when the branches are covered with beautiful tiny magenta-pink blossoms. These pea-shaped blossoms and the seed pods that closely resemble those of the snow pea indicate that this tree belongs to the legume family of plants.

It is a native tree of our local woodlands and is considered an understory tree because it grows in the shade of the larger trees of the forests. The tree rarely gets more than 30 feet tall and can grow nearly 30 feet wide. It does well in most any type of soil and the deep green heart-shaped leaves turn a lovely yellow in the fall. These traits made it a favorite garden tree as far back as the 1600s.

The edible flowers are a good source of vitamin C and can be added to salads and even pickled. The young twigs have been used for tea and for seasoning when cooking wild game. The wood has been made into gunstock, knife handles and bowls.

The eastern redbud is fairly disease free but canker fungus can cause serious damage. Deer may nibble on it but it is not a favorite food. Hummingbirds and bees feed on the flower nectar, and the seeds are eaten by cardinals, quail, turkeys and grosbeaks.

Fun Fact: The redbud was a favorite tree of George Washington and he planted many of them around his Mount Vernon home.