Stick it in behind large evergreen shrubs to enjoy the late winter blooms. Prune it for size control after it finishes blooming. Cercis occidentalis . Spectacular for a couple of weeks in March, this native plant is a little fussy. Being adapted to our rainfall cycles, it is sensitive to over-watering in the summer here, preferring only occasional deep soakings from May through October.
Western redbud has multiple trunks but can be trained as a small tree.
The eastern relatives, Cercis canadensis varieties, need summer watering and may show some leaf damage after extreme summer heat here. These are larger and more naturally tree-like in their growth habits. Other Spiraeas bloom in the summer, and some have pink flowers. All of them are very easy to grow, and most have an informal, arching growth habit. S. vanhouttei , one of the best, has grey-green foliage, bright yellow fall color, and is a mass of white flowers in April.