Enjoy an early-spring bloom of flowers and late-spring blush of colorful leaves when you select the right cultivar of redbuds.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
Who doesn’t love a redbud (Cercis canadensis) in early spring? After a winter’s worth of bare branches, this small tree curtly decides it has had enough of looking less than lovely and erupts into a cheerful cloud of small blooms varying in shades of pleasing pink to sassy purple (or even white), depending on the cultivar.
Following their floral salute to the new spring, however, faded flowers give way to green foliage—plain, ho-hum green foliage. This is not to say the heart-shaped leaves aren’t interesting to look at, it’s just that they mature to the same verdant hues of many other trees in the landscape, so the redbud fades away into the natural surroundings.
This tale of glory to ordinary is true for most redbuds, but there are cultivars that refuse to be ignored during the spring season. These are redbuds that skip common, ho-hum green coverings and instead smolder darkly in hues that dip into the realm of deep purple and burgundy.
Redbuds dusted with darkness will stand out in the new spring garden because they poke playful shadows into any landscape scheme overdone with green. And guess what? These dusky delights aren’t that rare in the retail garden trade, either locally or online.
Forest Pansy, one of the more common cultivars of the uncommon dark-leaf redbuds, will grow to around 20 feet tall and about as wide. If you are looking for less spread, Merlot and Black Pearl restrain themselves to about 15 feet high and wide. For a real shorty, try Ruby Falls, which only tops out at 6 feet tall and, as a bonus, has an unusual weeping habit.
Keep in mind that, while dark redbuds usually cruise through the spring season in their smoldering hues, incessant summer sun and heat can eventually lighten their leaves to an off-bronze or smoky green.
Redbud is a tough, deer-resistant North American native that can stand a wide range of soil types, excluding soggy, boggy conditions. It flowers best in full sun, but some afternoon shade will help most dusky redbuds retain their coloration longer.
If you plant a redbud this month (which is a good time), be sure to water your newbie regularly during its first year to help it become established in the landscape. Adding a layer of mulch that extends out to the drip line will also help settle in any selection of redbud you desire from the dark side.
February in the garden
• Reset loose stones or bricks on steps and pathways, clear off dead annual vines on fences and trellises, straighten sagging bed borders, repaint faded birdhouses, oil that creaky gate—basically, channel your inner handyman this month to prepare the garden for spring.
• Dormant bare-root roses, which can be planted in the late winter, should be available now at local garden centers. Ideally, plant such roses as soon as possible after purchasing, but give the roots a beneficial hydration session in a bucket of water for at least half a day before adding them to well-draining, sunny sites.
Tip of the month
Worried the somber hues of a dark redbud might muddy up your plans for a bright, cheerful garden? Well, you’re in luck because there are also variegated redbuds that go lightly (literally) into the summer season with leaves looking like they were impishly splattered by white paint. Alley Cat is a prime cultivar example, but it is a biggie (over 20 feet tall and wide) redbud, so be sure to give it plenty of room. Looking for little? Try Whitewater, a weeping selection that restrains itself to about 6 to 8 feet high and wide.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.