Tree Description
Eastern redbuds are small or medium-sized trees, usually less than 40 feet tall with a trunk about 12” in diameter. They have arching branches that form a wide, flat-topped crown.
Range / Site Description
These trees occur in East Texas, west to Austin and Dallas, usually on well-drained soils in forests and at the edge of the woods. They are often planted as landscape trees.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate. The heart-shaped leaf is 3” to 5” long and wide with a smooth margin. The leaf’s upper surface is a dull, dark green color; its underside is lighter. The leaves turn yellow in fall.
Flower & Fruit
Eastern redbuds are one of the first trees to bloom in early spring. The flowers appear before the leaves are conspicuous. Pink to purplish, pea-sized flowers appear in clusters along the twigs and small branches.
The fruit are contained in a flattened, many-seeded pod, 2” to 4” long and ½” wide, tapering at both ends. The pods are reddish during summer and brown when ripe; they often hang on the tree through the following winter.
Interesting Facts
Sometimes called “Judas-tree” for its resemblance to a Mediterranean relative, Cercis siliquastrum, from which the disciple Judas Iscariot supposedly hanged himself after betraying Christ.
Species Summary
| Scientific Name: | Cercis canadensis |
| Secondary Names: | Judas Tree |
| Tree Type: | Deciduous |
| Dimensions: | Height: less than 40 feet Trunk Diameter: 12 inches |
| Leaf Structure: | Simple, alternate |
| Leaf Size: | 3-5 inches long and wide |
| Leaf Shape: | Heart-shaped |
| Leaf Margin: | Smooth |
| Additional Information: | iNaturalist – Eastern Redbud |
Source: Texas A&M Forest Service Trees of Texas – Eastern Redbud