The spring is the time of the year where everyone is excited for new growth and the fresh, bright colors of all the blooming plants. This year has given us an early arrival of that with the warm March temperatures that we had. Albeit, those great moments of Spring are still here and more to come.
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a wonderful Spring tree to have if you are looking for vibrant blooms. It can be found in either purple or white blossoms, although the purple variety is much more common. After the bloom, it has very unique almost heart shaped leaves. The tree itself will likely grow to about 15′-30′ tall and a spread of about 8′-10′. These trees are not going to give you an enormous amount of shade like a Maple or an Oak, but it will fit into that spot in your landscape where you might be looking for a smaller more ornamental type tree.
This is a very common tree to be found at your local nursery or hardware store.
Check it out and enjoy your Eastern Redbud!
Paul Filary, Illinois Certified Arborist #5016A