How to Grow and Care for Redbud Trees

It’s a little difficult to see the resemblance, but once you get a good look at the fruit pods or after you taste the seeds, flowers, or young leaves, you will more clearly understand this relationship.

Examine those inflorescences close up, and you’ll notice that they look a heck of a lot like pea flowers.

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) are also in the same family.

Cercis canadensis, which is also known as the eastern redbud, is the one most commonly grown in the US.

This species is native to North America, with the largest wild populations clustered in an area spanning Iowa to Texas and points due east, though you can find them as far north as Canada and as far south as Mexico, and anywhere east of the Rockies.

There are three recognized varieties of eastern redbud: canadensis, texensis (Texas redbud), and mexicana (Mexican redbud).

West of the Rockies, you’ll find C. occidentalis growing in the wild, where it is native. The western redbud isn’t as hardy as the eastern species and can only be grown as far north as Zone 6.

These, and species from Europe and Asia such as Judas tree (C. siliquastrum) and Chinese redbud (C. chinensis), are cultivated all over the US in Zones 4 to 9.

These small trees form masses of pink, mauve, magenta, or red flowers in the early spring before the purple-to-green heart-shaped foliage leafs out.

Flowers form on older wood on the trunk and stems rather than new growth, which is known as cauliflory.

After the flowers fade, seed pods begin to form and mature over the summer, though some cultivars are sterile so they won’t produce any fruit pods.

The branches have a slight zig-zagging growth pattern along the internodes, and there is one C. canadensis cultivar named Zig Zag® that has exaggerated zig-zagging.

In the wild, they tend to grow in the understory beneath larger trees, and as such, they prefer partial shade or partial sun and moist soil. However, many cultivars have been bred to do well in full sun or drought conditions.

How to Grow Redbud Trees

Most cultivars flower best in full sun in cooler regions, or partial shade in hotter regions. If you want to ensure that your tree thrives, choose a cultivar or variety that is well-adapted to your climate.

For instance, C. canadensis var. mexicana and cultivars bred from it are better off in warmer climates, while C. canadensis var. canadensis and its progeny do better in cooler ones.

You’re also better off choosing whatever species is native to your region, whenever possible.

To really be happy, these trees need a certain number of chill hours at or below 45°F, and the exact amount will vary depending on the cultivar.

Once again, pick a cultivar or variety that will tolerate fewer chill hours if you live somewhere with mild winters.

‘Pink Pom Pom,’ for instance, has some texensis lineage which makes it more tolerant of warmer winters, and it will still produce flowers despite the warmer climate.

The soil in the planting area needs to be well-draining. These trees can tolerate a range of soils, so long as it’s well draining with a pH between 6.5 and 8.0.

Some hybrids and cultivars are more drought tolerant than others, but all established redbuds can handle some amount of drought. Western redbuds are extremely drought tolerant and can go without any supplemental water in many parts of the US.

As a general rule of thumb, you should provide water when the soil feels dry three inches down, and the soil should never be soggy.

Redbud Cultivars to Select

It’s an exciting period for redbuds when it comes to discovering new varieties and breeding new cultivars.

So many beautiful and unique cultivars are hitting the market, with impressive blossoms and foliage so attractive that the flowers sometimes take a backseat.

We’ll cover more of these in a future roundup. Here are just a few, to whet your appetite:

Grafted trees provide predictable characteristics, ensuring gardeners know exactly what to expect in terms of size, shape, and bloom and leaf color.

They are clones of the trees developed by plant breeders who cross parent trees, comb through thousand of seedlings to find potential new cultivars, and then who spend years proving them out before introducing them to the public.

Pests and Disease

In general, this is one of those trees that generally maintains good health so long as you grow it in the right environment. If problems do come up, here’s what you’re most likely to see:

Herbivores

More so than diseases or insect pests, avoiding herbivores is going to be the biggest challenge to overcome when growing redbuds.

Those animals out there seem like they’re all too eager to get a bite of your plant. Both deer and rabbits will devour young trees if given the chance.

Your best bet to protect your redbuds from both of these common pests is to surround the young trees with chicken wire.

Once your tree is tall enough that the leaves and branches are out of reach and safe from browsing, you can remove the fence.

Insects

Redbuds are generally ignored by insect pests, especially if you choose a species native to your region.

However, that seems to be changing as the dreaded emerald ash borer expands its range into more and more regions.

Regardless, healthy trees are usually able to withstand an infestation and remain healthy.

Leaf Rollers

The redbud leaf roller (Fascista cercerisella) is the larva of a half-inch-wide dark brown and white moth that lives east of the Rocky Mountains.

The moth itself isn’t a threat, but the half-inch-long black and white leaf rollers will roll up redbud leaves in loose webbing, eventually killing them.

To control this pest, just pull off any rolled leaves, bag them, and dispose of them.

Sprays won’t usually work since the larvae hide in the little shelters that they’ve made. Fortunately, they don’t typically cause serious damage.

Emerald Ash Borers

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an invasive pest from Asia that is rapidly invading a larger and larger area of North America.

It was first identified in southeast Michigan in 2002, and identified on the West Coast for the first time in 2022. In the intervening years, it spread through every state east of the Rockies and throughout Colorado.

There have been reports since of these pests in Montana and Wyoming.

Though they haven’t been officially confirmed at the time of this writing, this indicates that it’s possible that the bug may be found in every state throughout the continental US.

They decimate ash trees, killing hundreds of millions since they were first discovered in North America 20 years ago, but they’ve also been seen feeding on the leaves of redbuds and other species.

These beetles look like iridescent half-inch-long grasshoppers. Hand pick and drown any you see in soapy water.

If you have ash trees on your property and you spot these pests, you’ll need to start treatment right away. With redbuds, your best line of attack is to keep your tree healthy.

Disease

It’s rare that a redbud is impacted by disease, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

Trees growing in wet soil, with poor air circulation, or those that are fed incorrectly are more likely to face issues.

Canker

Canker on redbuds is caused by fungi in the Botryosphaeria genus, and it’s the most destructive disease of the Cercis species.

At first, it shows up as little black, soft, sunken spots in the bark. Eventually, the canker spreads and girdles the stem, causing everything above the canker to die.

Fungicides aren’t extremely effective, so just prune away any diseased branches you see at the base.

If you have a severe case with lots of cankers and dying branches, you will need to just remove the tree.

Verticillium 

Caused by the fungus Verticillium albo-atrum, vert causes the leaves to wilt even when the tree has plenty of water.

As the disease progresses, the leaves turn yellow and may form V-shaped yellow spots between the veins. Overfertilizing and wet soil creates favorable conditions for this disease.

Sadly, there is no treatment available. It’s best to remove an infected plant and dispose of it.

Best Uses for Redbud Trees

First, let’s talk about how to eat this tree. You can eat the young leaves and flowers either raw or cooked.

The leaves aren’t all that great, if I’m being totally honest.

The really young ones have a mild flavor and tender texture, but otherwise, they tend to be largely flavorless or slightly bitter. They make a good salad filler, though!

The pods are also edible, but they’re best when they’re young and tender. Sautee them or toss them raw into salads. Basically, you can use them as you would edible pea pods.

The blossoms are the tastiest part of the plant. These are firm enough to fry up well yet tender enough to also eat raw.

If you prefer a sweeter, more tender treat, just eat the paler upper petals. You can also pickle the flower buds to make “capers.”

Humans aren’t the only ones who love foraging from these trees!

The flowers are pollinated by bees, though only long-tongued bees can reach deep enough to access the nectar.

Butterflies and hummingbirds also feed on the flowers. In fact, C. canadensis is the main host of Henry’s elfin butterflies (Callophrys henrici).

In the garden, these make excellent specimen trees and the semi-dwarf cultivars are perfect in containers.

If you have a partially shaded spot that needs a burst of color, a redbud is an awesome pick.

Plant some partial-shade-loving color like phlox, wood lilies, violets, or bluebells underneath.