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| ## Eastern redbud {#eastern-redbud .Title-Header}                     |
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| *Cercis canadensis* L.                                                |
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| Plant Symbol = CECA4                                                  |
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####### *Contributed By: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center*

### Alternate names![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.6993055555555556in" height="1.7909722222222222in"}

Redbud, Judas tree; this species has several varieties recognized in the
U.S.: *Cercis canadensis* var*. canadensis*, *Cercis canadensis* var
*mexicana*, and *Cercis canadensis* var. *texensis*.

### Uses

*Ethnobotanic*: The Alabama, Cherokee, Delaware, Kiowa, and Oklahoma
were among the Native American tribes that used eastern redbud for
various purposes. The bark was made into a tea to treat whooping cough.
Taking cold infusions of the roots and inner bark treated fevers and
congestion. An infusion of the bark was used to treat vomiting and
fever. During winters, the plants were used for firewood. Because it is
one of the first plants to flower in the spring, the blossoming branches
were brought into the homes to "drive winter out." Children were "fond
of eating the blossoms" of eastern redbud.

*Wildlife/Livestock*: Many birds, including bobwhite quails, eat the
seeds. White-tailed deer are among the animals that browse the foliage.
Honeybees visit the blossoms. Livestock will browse on Eastern redbud.

### Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

### Description

*General*: Legume Family (Fabaceae). Eastern redbud is a native,
perennial, deciduous tree or shrub. The plants may vary in form from
dense and round (to 6 m tall) when grown in sun, to an open, taller form
(to 12 m tall) when grown in the shade. The trees produce hundreds of
small pink pea flowers in the very early spring, even before other trees
have leafed out. The bright magenta-pink to lilac flowers, appear in
small clusters, primarily on older stems. The flowers are irregular, 9
to 12 cm long, with ten stamens. The unique, broadly heart-shaped leaves
are nearly circular (5 to 10 cm), with a long, slender petiole. The
leaves are alternate and have 5 to 9 prominent veins that radiate
palmately from the base. New leaves are a light green that darken with
age and finally turn yellow in the fall. The seeds are contained in a
flat, thin pod (4 to 10 cm long), which turns from green to brown.

*Distribution*: Eastern redbud is native to the eastern and
south-central United States, southward to Texas. For current
distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on
the PLANTS Web site.

*Habitat*: Eastern redbud occurs in the forest understory in moist rich
woods, along the banks of streams, in ravines, on bluffs, in open rocky
woods, and abandoned farmlands.

### Establishment

Eastern redbud is widely cultivated as an ornamental because of the
plants showy springtime flowers and beautiful heart-shaped leaves. The
plants are graceful with arching branches that look lovely as a specimen
tree, in groupings, and in shrub borders. The plants do well in soils of
moderate to low fertility and are very drought resistant. The seeds have
very hard seed coats that require both chilling and scarification for
germination, unless planted in the fall. Cuttings are difficult to root.
Mature plants do not transplant well so buy young plants that are
balled-and-burlapped or container grown. Transplant the plants in the
spring or fall, in well-drained soils in sun to part shade. Water the
plants regularly until established.

### Management

These plants require very little maintenance. The brown seedpods, which
can cling to the branches until late in the year, can be somewhat
unattractive.

### Pests and Potential Problems

Eastern redbud has relatively few pests. Stem canker, leaf spots, and
verticillium wilt may be a problem. The plants may experience some
insect damage from leaf rollers, treehoppers, scales, leafhoppers,
aphids, and spider mites, but damage is rarely severe.

### Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

These plant materials are readily available from commercial sources.
Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

### References

Bailey, L.H. & E.Z. Bailey 1976. *Hortus Third: A concise dictionary of
plants cultivated in the United States and Canada*. Simon and Schuster
Macmillan Co., New York, New York. 1290 pp.

Dirr, M.A. 1997. *Dirr's hardy trees and shrubs: an illustrated
encyclopedia*. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 493 pp.

Dirr, M.A. 1998. *Manual of woody landscape plants. Fifth Edition*.
Stipes Publishing, Champaign, Illinois. 1187 pp.

Flint, H.L. 1997. *Landscape plants for Eastern North America*. Second
Edition. John Wiley and Sons, New York, New York. 842 pp.

Greene, W.F. & H.L. Blomquist 1953. *Flowers of the South: Native and
exotic*. University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill, North
Carolina. 208 pp.

Halfacre, R.G. & A.R. Showcroft 1979. *Landscape plants of the
Southeast*. Sparks Press, Raleigh, North Carolina. 325 pp.

Hamel, P.B. & M.U. Chiltoskey 1975. *Cherokee plants and their uses: A
400-year history*. Herald Publishing Company, Sylva, North Carolina. 65
pp.

Isley, D. 1990. *Vascular flora of the Southeastern United States,
Volume 3, Part 2, Leguminosae (Fabaceae).* University of North Carolina
Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 258 pp.

Moerman, D.E. 1998. *Native American ethnobotany*. Timber Press,
Portland, Oregon. 927 pp.

Moerman, D.E. 1999. *Native American Ethnobotany Database: Foods, drugs,
dyes and fibers of native North American Peoples.* The University of
Michigan-Dearborn. \[Online\]. Available:

<http://www.umd.umich.edu/cgi-bin/herb>

(27 June 2001).

Ottensen, C. 1995. *The native plant primer.* Harmony Books, New York,
New York. 354 pp.

Rogers, D.J. & C. Rogers 1991. *Woody ornamentals for Deep South
gardens*. University of West Florida Press, Pensacola, Florida. 296 pp.

Small, J.K. 1933. *Manual of Southeastern flora*. University of North
Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 1554 pp.

Swanson, R.E. 1994. *A field guide to the trees and shrubs of the
Southern Appalachians*. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore,
Maryland. 399 pp.

Swanton, J.R. 2000. *Creek religion and medicine*. University of
Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska. 684 pp.

Taylor, L.A. 1940. *Plants used as curatives by certain Southeastern
tribes*. Botanical Museum of Harvard University, Cambridge,
Massachusetts.

88 pp.

Whitthoft, J. 1947. *An early Cherokee ethnobotanical note*
(Communicated by W.N. Fenton). Journal of the Washington Academy of
Sciences 37(3): 73-75.

Young, J.A. & C.G. Young 1992. *Seeds of woody plants in North America*.
Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon. 407 pp.

### Prepared By

## *Diana L. Immel*

Formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, c/o Environmental
Horticulture Department, University of California, Davis, California

### Species Coordinator

## *M. Kat Anderson*

USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, c/o Plant Science Department,
University of California, Davis, California

Edited: 27sep01 jsp; 01may03 ahv; 01jun06 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*