Redbud

by Joshua Heston

Defined as much by the tiny, slipper-shaped flowers sprouting right from the bark as by the large, heart-shaped leaves, the redbud is a herald of spring.

Sometimes called the Judas Tree, the redbud is related to a central Asian variety that — legend has it — Judas Iscariot hung himself from following his betrayal of Jesus.

Although the range of this small North American tree spreads from Canada to Mexico, Cercis canadensis is prolific throughout the Ozarks and Appalachia, often sharing territory with the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida).

April 9, 2008

Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Size: 10-20 feet tall; leaves 3 to 4.5 inches wide. What to look for: leaves heart-shaped, thick, leathery; flowers in clusters of 4 to 8, pink, developing before leaves; pods dark brown with brown seeds. Habitat: stream borders, mountain slopes.

— page 314, Wernett, Susan J., et al. North American Wildlife. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., 1986.