Eastern Redbud, Judas Tree
Cercis canadensis
by Martin (Mort) Schmidt
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis, hereafter, simply “Redbud”) is a much-loved ornamental tree, especially in spring, when its lavender flowers are in bloom. But its similarity to an Asian and European redbud, Cercis siliquastrum, lends it a much darker association.
Leaves
Redbud leaves grow in an alternate pattern, so they don’t sit directly across from each other on the twigs. Each leaf is simple, connecting to the branch with its own stem rather than sharing one like compound leaves do. In contrast, compound leaves consist of several leaflets attached to a single stem. Measuring between 2.5 and 4.5 inches, redbud leaves are heart-shaped (chordate) with smooth, unnotched edges. Their veins spread out from the base in a palmate arrangement, resembling an open hand. These deciduous leaves turn brown as autumn sets in.
Flowers
Redbud flowers take on a butterfly-like shape, known as papilionaceous, a trait common among legumes. Clusters of their pink blossoms often emerge directly from the trunk—a rare trait called cauliflory. People can eat the flowers, too. In Mexico, for example, they’re sometimes fried, while in parts of the Middle East, the buds have been pickled and used much like capers. Bees serve as the primary pollinators, drawn in by the flowers’ vivid color, as is the case with many brightly colored blooms.
Wind-pollinated flowers have no need for bright colors, and are typically green, yellow-green, or other inconspicuous colors. Redbud fruits consist of flat 2.5 to 3.5-inch pods, resembling snow-pea pods. The green pods turn brown in winter and often persist well into January. The pods, like the flowers, are edible, but best when tender. Celtis canadensis bark is scaly, gray, sometimes with a reddish cast. Redbuds have perfect flowers – they produce and receive pollen in the same flower, and every tree can potentially produce seed pods.
Redbud trees have spreading branches, much like Crabapple. The bark is typically somewhat scaly, with reddish color. The twigs have a distinctly zig-zag growth habit.
Mature Redbuds typically have a height of 25 to 30 feet and a trunk diameter of approximately 8 inches. Ohio’s Champion Redbud, located in Greene County, has a height of 30 feet, a trunk diameter of 4.1 feet, and a crown width of 37 feet. Redbud trees have a spreading crown, similar in shape to Crabapples.
ID Summary: Small tree with pink butterfly-like flowers in spring, small heart-shaped leaves in summer, small snow-pea like seed pods in winter.
Similar Trees
The flowers and small heart-shaped leaves are unlike any other Ohio trees. People sometimes confuse the seed pods with Black Locust in winter, but mature Black Locust has deeply furrowed bark, and juvenile Black Locust has pairs of thorns similar to rose thorns.
Geographic Distribution
Cercis canadensis, despite its name, grows primarily in the eastern U.S., and as far south as Mexico. Redbud is usually found in well-drained soils. As an understory tree, Redbud grows well in shade, but it also thrives in sunny areas and is somewhat salt-tolerant, making it a popular choice for landscaping. Redbuds have a relatively short lifespan, and typically live no more than 75 years.
Lumber
Redbud lumber has a Janka hardness of 1,660 lbf and a density of 0.75 g/cc, according to the Wood Database, compared to the median of my list of 73 Ohio trees of 1,075 lbf and 0.64 g/cc. This hardness places it in between the oaks and hickories, but it is not strong. Redbud is too small to have commercial value as a lumber tree, but it has an attractive brown color, smooth grain, and is easy to work with, making it a good choice for small boxes and turned objects. Redbud has high rot-resistance.
Uses
Redbud’s primary use is in landscaping. Its attractive flowers are in bloom for nearly a month, which is longer than other trees at that time of year. Eastern Redbud ranks 24th in frequency in the Columbus Street Tree Inventory, making up slightly over 1 percent of the trees on the City’s right-of-way. George Washington admired Cercis canadensis and spent a lot of time transplanting them from the forest to his estate at Mount Vernon. Eastern Redbud is the State Tree of Oklahoma.
The Native American Ethnobotany Database includes the following uses for Eastern Redbud among the Native peoples:
- Alabama – Infusion of roots and bark for fever and to relieve respiratory congestion,
- Cherokee – Infusion of bark for whooping cough,
- Delaware – Infusion of bark to induce vomiting and as a drink to reduce fever,
- Kiowa – Stems used for fuel,
- Havasupai – Fiber for various uses, wood for fence posts, tool handles, and archery bows,
- Maidu – Fiber and twig used for making baskets,
- Navajo – Pods roasted for consumption of seeds; leaves used as an incense in the Mountain Chant,
- Pomo – Inner bark used in basketry, and
- Yuki – Wood and roots used for sewing.
Eastern Redbud is sometimes known as the “Judas Tree”, because of its similarity to Cercis siliquastrum, native to Europe and Asia, which was claimed to be the tree from which Judas Iscariot hanged himself. Some scholars believe that the name “Judas Tree” came from the region, Judea, to which C. siliquastrum is native.
Redbud is not the most important tree in terms of habitat or food for wildlife, but the Redbud Leaffolder moth, Io moth, and White-Marked Tussock moth all consume the leaves. The Redbud Borer and the Metallic Wood-Boring beetles consume its wood.
By no means the most useful tree in the forest, to people or animals, Redbud’s beauty more than compensates for its lack of utility.
