Weeping redbud

The weeping form, in particular the “Lavender Twist” cultivar, goes dormant a bit earlier than the standard Eastern redbud, however, both are quite cold hardy.

How to Grow Weeping Redbud Trees

The redbud tree is a glorious and welcome sight in early spring, with its lavender-pink blossoms that cover its curving branches. It is sometimes also referred to as a Judas tree, as it is believed to be related to the tree Judas Iscariot hung himself from based on stories in the Bible.

The Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a familiar sight throughout the eastern United States, from New England down to Georgia. It’s an early source of food for many pollinators including bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, who enjoy the nectar in its pink flowers.

In recent years some new varieties of this reliable landscape tree have been introduced, including a lovely weeping form. The most common cultivars are “Lavender Twist” and “Ruby Falls,” both names emphasizing the tree’s colorful spring blossoms.

The Eastern redbud is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9, while the weeping form is better suited to zones 5 to 9. But apart from this small difference in winter hardiness, the trees are very similar.

Redbud trees can be susceptible to disease and are not very long-lived, but are so beloved for their spring color that they remain a popular landscape specimen tree.

The weeping redbud known as “Lavender Twist” was discovered in 1991 in western New York state. The gardener’s last name is Covey and so the tree is sometimes also known as the “Covey Eastern Redbud”. It was patented in 1998 and is now more widely available. There is a dwarf variety that can grow up to 15 feet tall and up to 20 wide with an asymmetrical yet graceful canopy.

The weeping branches and twisted shape make it an attractive tree for cottage gardens or for adding spring color. Despite the blossoms being small and forming along the length of the branches, the tree’s leaves are large, dramatic and heart-shaped, forming in mid-summer, and turning yellow in October.

Light

The weeping redbud tree does fine in partial shade, and being a shorter tree can grow in the shade of larger landscape trees. One sees them in woodlands sometimes where they have reseeded, blooming happily beneath the forest canopy.

Soil

Like most deciduous trees that bloom in early spring, the redbud needs well-drained soil. When planting, add plenty of compost and some peat moss. Choose a good location as these trees don’t like to be transplanted once established.

Water

The redbud benefits from regular watering at its base, especially during a dry spell. Being somewhat short-lived, these trees are not quite as resilient in extremes of weather or drought as their sturdier cousins like maples or oaks.

Temperature and Humidity

The weeping form, in particular the “Lavender Twist” cultivar, goes dormant a bit earlier than the standard Eastern redbud, however, both are quite cold hardy.

In Zone 4, your weeping redbud might need some extra protection from the winter winds and some mulch. Be sure to leave a couple of inches of space between the mulch line and the trunk of the tree.

Fertilizer

This tree responds well to some general-purpose fertilizer in the spring before its blossoms open.

Pruning

Careful pruning is important to maintain an elegant shape, avoid breakage, and keep the tree flowering vigorously. It is best done in the fall to shape the tree or remove dead branches.

The branches tend to split fairly low on the trunk and the abundant spring flowers can form on the trunk itself, so pruning will be needed to help shape these branches. The large leaves may also begin to overpower the tree, so removing the excess branches helps maintain a more balanced look.

It’s best to avoid having V-shaped branch crotches in this tree, which can lead to breakages as the tree ages and its limbs get heavier.

Common Pests/Diseases

Your redbud may be susceptible to cankers and is also somewhat susceptible to tree-boring insects. You should consult a tree specialist to diagnose and treat any major health problems.

Pruning and Staking a Weeping Redbud

If you want a taller, more shapely specimen, follow these steps

By Mark Weathington Fine Gardening – Issue 192

Weeping redbuds will generally not grow much taller than the height to which they are staked. When they come home from a nursery, they have usually been staked to about 4 to 6 feet tall. This height may be perfect for you, but I generally find that I wished I had trained my tree to 6 to 8 feet.

Staking a redbud tree

1. Drive a stout stake deep enough in the soil close to the trunk but not touching the tree. Your stake should be about as high above the ground as you would like your plant.
2. Select a young, pliable branch that is growing as close as possible to directly above the main trunk. You may need to wait until late spring if you purchase your plant in the fall.
3. Tie the branch to your stake with a nonabrasive strap.
4. Continue tying the branch up the stake until it reaches the desired height.
5. Once the stem is rigid enough to support itself, remove the stake.

Pruning a redbud tree

When pruning, always remember the old adage that you can take off more later, but you can’t put a branch back on. Take your time, and step back from the plant frequently to look at your progress.

1. Remove crossing, diseased, and dead branches first.
2. Always prune to a bud on young stems or to a branch or the trunk. Leave about a half-inch of stem rather than pruning flush with the trunk.
3. Remove branches that are growing directly above or below another. While this doesn’t affect the tree’s health, it tends to encourage the development of a more aesthetic form.
4. If you do not want low branches once the tree is at its mature height, begin taking some of the largest lower branches out every year or two.

Beautiful Redbud Tree Varieties

The best options for exceptional flowers

Interesting form and showy foliage elevate redbuds to new heights, but the floral display is why most of us grow these lovely small trees. As members of the bean (Fabaceae) family, all redbuds bear flowers that attract pollinators, followed by flat bean pods that can be green or purple when young before turning brown as they mature. The flowers, which are edible and occasionally used fresh in salads, are produced along the stems and branches and even along old trunks like patches of bright lichen, a trait known as cauliflory (from caul, meaning “stem,” and flory, meaning “flowering”).

A fast grower with double flowers

‘Pink Pom Poms’ Eastern redbud (C. canadensis ‘Pink Pom Poms’)

Zones: 5–9

Size: 15 to 20 feet tall and wide

Before its extra-large, heart-shaped leaves emerge, this double-flowered selection is adorned with dense clusters of blooms resembling small damask roses. As a bonus, these flowers are female sterile, so no bean pods will form. This plant is one of the most vigorous redbuds I’ve grown and develops into a nice-sized small tree quickly.

A hotter shade of pink

‘Appalachian Red’ Eastern redbud (C. canadensis ‘Appalachian Red’)

Zones: 4–9

Size: 15 to 25 feet tall and wide

Despite their name, most redbuds have lavender-pink flowers of somewhat varying intensity, but ‘Appalachian Red’ is a distinctly different color. Although still not red, the flowers are very bright—deep pink with no lavender to them at all. As a specimen grows and matures, the floral display becomes increasingly intense. A full-grown ‘Appalachian Red’ stands out like a beacon in a woodland garden.

A nonnative worth mentioning: Compact and seed-free

‘Don Egolf’ Chinese redbud (C. chinensis ‘Don Egolf’)

Zones: 6–9

Size: 10 to 12 feet tall and wide

While I find the seedpods on our native Eastern redbud quite attractive as they dangle from the branches, others consider them a nuisance. On the shrubby Chinese species, there is generally widespread agreement that the pods simply make the plant look messy in fall. ‘Don Egolf’, an introduction from the U.S. National Arboretum named for the legendary shrub breeder, is a sterile form eliminating the possibility of seeds. In addition to sterility, it flowers prolifically on a compact plant that only reaches about 10 feet tall at maturity.

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