PlantFiles: Eastern Redbud, Canadian Redbud, Judas Tree
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

I just barely identified this tree at my place and I'm glad I did because now I can call it something else besides my umbrella tree. ;)
Seriously, this tree is a delight to have. It does extremely well in our sandy soil and the flowers are so delicate and beautiful. Easy to maintain. If I had it my way, I'd have some more...

I planted 2 of these in my garden. They were about 5 ft tall when I bought them and this will be the first year they will bloom so I am waiting to see what they look like and they have grown allot in 1 full season

Here in Seattle, my tree has grown well but the wood is brittle and prone to breaking if we have wet, windy weather. Compounding the problem is how tight the tree crotches grow, holding moisture and causing rot. At 6 years old and approx. 15 feet high, it's been held together with straps and Gorilla Glue for the last two years since splitting in half to a foot about the ground. I would site this tree out of windy areas, and prune for trunk strength as well as to lighten the leaf canopy. Also, fall color varies but most often the leaf color is an ugly maroon-brown with sickly yellow patches.

Originally found as a seedling in 1947 at Forest Nursery, McMinnville, TN. Spectacular shimmering red-purple foliage loses its intense color by mid summer. Flowers are a more intense rose-purple and a little later blooming than the species. Vigorous grower! The picture posted is of a young tree planted a year and a half ago. It will double in size in just a couple years. Maximum height will reach about 20-30' high.

From Michael Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants:
"One of my favorites for colored foliage and I do not rate too many purple leaf plants among my top 1000"

This tree can be fairly invasive. I have seedlings coming up in all of my flowerbeds. It has a taproot to China even as a very young tree so if you don't pull first year seedlings they're very difficult to remove. With that said, it is still one of my favorite trees. They are beautiful blooming in the spring, have lovely heart-shaped foliage all summer long and are also host plant to many different species of moth.

This small tree has been fairly rewarding here. We give the two we have a bit of midday shade under a Southern Magnolia. Leaves have a tendency to burn at the margins during conditions of high winds combined with low humidity. It has shown itself as a sturdy plant even in our extreme summer heat.

Bartow, Florida is just about as far south as they will grow and bloom. Most colorful in mid February.

I love this tree! The leaves are a fantastic burgandy and the blooms are a vibrant hot pink.

A singularly beautiful variety of Redbud, and should be grown more often.