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Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Eastern Redbud blooms from April through April.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Eastern Redbud
Plant it in part sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–9. Expect it to reach about 23 ft tall and 26 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 10 years.
When to plant Eastern Redbud
Plant Eastern Redbud in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 9 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms in April.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
9 more colors in the Redbud family
Same family, similar care - pick the one you are growing.
Good to know about Eastern Redbud
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Redbud flowers straight out of bare twigs, old branches, even the trunk, a habit called cauliflory, blooming before the leaves and giving one of spring's earliest tree displays. per NC State
Hardiness depends on seed origin
Sources list zones 4 to 9, 4 to 8, or 5 to 8. True cold hardiness tracks seed origin, so in cold zones buy locally sourced or northern-strain stock. per Wisconsin
How long it lives
Estimates split: some sources give about 20 to 30 years under stress, others up to 50 to 75 in good conditions. Plan a succession planting rather than one forever tree. per USDA and University of Maryland
Edible spring flowers
Flowers and unopened buds are edible, slightly tart and pea-like, high in vitamin C. Eat them raw in salads or pickle the buds like capers. per NC State
Drought invites its worst disease
Drought and heat stress open the door to Botryosphaeria canker, redbud's main killer, and no fungicide reliably cures it. Keep it watered and never wound the bark. per Clemson
Plant it young, once
Redbud resents root disturbance and transplants poorly once established. Plant a small tree into its permanent, well-drained spot and leave it undisturbed. per NC State
Feeds early spring pollinators
One of the first trees to bloom, it feeds native bees and butterflies when little else flowers, including the specialist blueberry bee, and hosts several caterpillars. per USDA
What pairs well with Eastern Redbud
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Joe Pye Weed
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Perennial Sunflower
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Sneezeweed
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Tulip Tree
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; both are native plants.
Pentas
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; pink sits close to purple on the wheel.
Lavender
Takes full sun to part sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer, extending the bed's season; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Mock Orange
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; shorter at 8.2 ft, an understory layer.
Rhododendron
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; shorter at 5.9 ft, an understory layer.
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