Western Redbud Tree

Native to California, the Western Redbud is a deciduous, low-branching or multi-trunked, flowering shrub or small tree with wonderful rosy-pink flowers. Pinkish-red buds form on leafless branches in early spring and bloom in profusion, resembling pink pea flowers. Cercis occidentalis flowers best in locations with colder winter temperatures. Green, heart-shaped leaves appear after the flowering period, eventually changing colors in autumn to yellow before falling to the ground. Reddish-brown, flattened seed pods, measuring 4-6 inches long, mature in the summer and hang from bare branches in the winter, providing additional seasonal interest. Cercis occidentalis grows much slower than the Eastern Redbud (C. canadensis), but is more tolerant of heat and drought. The Western Redbud requires little maintenance; simply prune to maintain the desired shape or size. Naturally found growing near seasonal streams or on dry slopes in the foothills and mountains of California, Cercis occidentalis attracts wildlife to the garden and benefits birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.