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Moonshine Designs Nursery Located in Milan, Illinois 309-756-1967 Fax: 309-756-1058
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American Redbud Tree
Cercis canadensis
Culture: American redbud does well in most soils, acidic to alkaline, so long as they do not stay soggy. This is a fast-growing little tree that requires little care.
American redbud does well in full sun to light shade. Plant redbuds in the shade of larger deciduous trees; they seem to do best when they get plenty of sun in the late winter as they are getting ready to bloom, but then they appreciate a little shade during the heat of summer.
Moisture: Redbud likes a moist soil but established specimens are quite drought tolerant.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 4-9.
Usage: American redbud is often used as a street tree planted 25'-35' apart. They also make good framing trees for small homes. Redbud is great for providing shade for patios and for a spring accent tree. The flowers are one of the first signs of spring, opening about the time of the dogwoods and azaleas.
Growth : Development of young redbud to the flowering stage is rapid. Young redbuds have been observed first flowering when less than 4 years old but do not fruit the first year of blossoming. Under optimum conditions new trees can grow 1 ft. in height the first growing season. Growth slows a little after the tree reaches 10'. Continuous terminal growth is related to light intensity, photoperiod, and temperature. Once established, trees can endure much shading.
Seed
American or Eastern Redbud
Soak seed for a minimum of 24 hours in warm water before stratification. The Seeds need to be stratified before they will germinate. To avoid using up space with a myriad of pots during stratification, place about a tablespoonful of seed-starting mix, (such as Jiffy-mix or Redi-Earth) just moistened (not wet), in a plastic zip-lock bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator (not freezer) for at least 12 weeks, or until you're ready to grow the seedlings. The seeds will germinate at different rates, but most will start to sprout about 2 weeks after you remove them to room temperature. Check the bag frequently and pot up as they germinate. Keep the bag out of the sun or they will cook rather than germinate! This method saves space, as it eliminates having pots sitting around which contain seeds that may never germinate. However, they may also be started in pots if you have the space.