Show me your redbud!

[Underdog]

This thread from 2017 has some good info.

Eastern Redbud Cercis Canadensis

I just love these early flowering trees in the spring. First sign of life in the woods. Had to have one this spring but had to buy a seedling. Been on the lookout for a collectable one. I didn't know they had a fall surprise for me. Love to see any members Redbud if you have one. Or even some...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Forsoothe!]

Five pages and still not one presentable tree? These have to be harder to keep than we believed! I had one for a few years that just never took off.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Leo in N E Illinois do these self pollinate?

Sorce

I don't know the answer. Cercis, the redbuds are in the Legume family of plants. The culinary pulses, peas, & beans, do partially self pollinate. Soybean tend to carry about 60% to 90% self pollinated pods, with the remainder insect pollinated. That is dependent upon pollinator insect population density (bro in law is a soybean geneticist, holiday gatherings often found me & bro-in-law having really geeky plant discussions).

Given how dense my landscape tree is with seed pods, I suspect they do self pollinate.

Photo of a redbud, below was taken from internet. My only notes are "Showa-Kinen" which is probably the public garden where the photo was taken. If someone can read the Japanese in the label, you might have more information.

 

[Underdog]

Wow the leaves do reduce Very nice Leo. Thanks for posting and giving us hope.

 

[Michael P]

There are many cultivars of this species, most of which are derived from one subspecies. For bonsai, the differences between the subspecies are probably more important than cultivars. The subspecies in North America are C. c. canadensis, C. c. texensis, and C. c. mexicana. There is also a related western species, C. orbiculata.

In that same sequence, they vary along a continuum: largest leaves, most shade tolerant, least drought tolerant, most cultivars to smallest leaves, most sun tolerant, most drought tolerant, fewest cultivars. Here in North Central Texas, C. c. canadensis and C. c. texensis are both native, with many intergrades. C. c. canadensis grows in semi-shade and moist alluvial soils. C. c. texensis grows in full sun in gravelly, well drained, high pH soils.

As landscape trees their longevity is very dependent on selecting the right subspecies for the site. I have never tried one as bonsai, but my guess is that C. c. texensis or even C. c. mexicana would tolerate bonsai culture better. They also have the advantage of smaller leaves and the ability to bloom all along the trunk and older branches instead of primarily on young twigs. If I ever come across a good candidate, I'll give it a try.

 

[cbroad]

and a gold one.

Not sure if these are what you have, but you have to check out 'Hearts of Gold' and 'Rising Sun.' Rising Sun is probably my new favorite; orange and chartreuse new growth, with light green summer foliage (not the typical dark green).

Weeping red leaf form is called 'Ruby Falls' (my favorite of the weeping forms) and the green leaf form is called 'Traveler.'

 

[Hack Yeah!]

My neighbor planted one over the property line on my property, I may have to try it , lol. At least try an air layer seems fair

 

[Underdog]

My neighbors. Red weeper. She's disappointed it won't get taller. Grafted I'm sure.

 

[penumbra]

Not sure if these are what you have, but you have to check out 'Hearts of Gold' and 'Rising Sun.' Rising Sun is probably my new favorite; orange and chartreuse new growth, with light green summer foliage (not the typical dark green).

Weeping red leaf form is called 'Ruby Falls' (my favorite of the weeping forms) and the green leaf form is called 'Traveler.'

I picked up a Rising Sun this summer for $50 because it had a large major branch that was dead. Also picked up a variegated one from same seller called Alley Cat. My green weeper is not traveler. I can't remember name off top of my head but it will come to me. It was planted about 30 years ago.

 

[cbroad]

can't remember name off top of my head

Maybe Lavender Twist, I forgot about that one...?

Alley Cat

Never heard of that one, looks pretty cool though!

 

[cbroad]

My neighbors. Red weeper. She's disappointed it won't get taller. Grafted I'm sure.

Show her your bonsai skills and wire her up a new leader It'll look funky though until it fills in...

We'd get them in like that at the nursery from the growers, staked to train the leader up. Most had the stakes off at that point but it was obvious from the multiple broken stakes at the base of the trees.

 

[Velodog2]

After years of sporadic attempts to get one of the many volunteers around my property transplanted into a pot, it appears I’ve succeeded this time! Surprisingly it is a larger tree w about a 1” trunk. It had been growing in mostly coarse gravel by my drive and I’d pruned it back to a stump once or twice. When I finally dug/pulled it up it had just like five thick radial roots wo branches, and one small taproot with some scraggly rootlets. I didn’t think it would survive but I cut the roots back enough to fit In a big plastic pot and filled it up w salvaged soil and bam, it’s still budding out after three weeks. It will be a long road to a bonsai, but I’ve always wanted to try this species for its bark, elegant form, and flowers so here’s my chance.

I’ve got to mention that the Japanese specimen shown in this thread while certainly spectacular is possibly the worst example of following the natural form of a species I have ever seen.

 

[RyanSA]

After years of sporadic attempts to get one of the many volunteers around my property transplanted into a pot, it appears I’ve succeeded this time! Surprisingly it is a larger tree w about a 1” trunk. It had been growing in mostly coarse gravel by my drive and I’d pruned it back to a stump once or twice. When I finally dug/pulled it up it had just like five thick radial roots wo branches, and one small taproot with some scraggly rootlets. I didn’t think it would survive but I cut the roots back enough to fit In a big plastic pot and filled it up w salvaged soil and bam, it’s still budding out after three weeks. It will be a long road to a bonsai, but I’ve always wanted to try this species for its bark, elegant form, and flowers so here’s my chance.

I’ve got to mention that the Japanese specimen shown in this thread while certainly spectacular is possibly the worst example of following the natural form of a species I have ever seen.

Can we see a photo?

 

[Kanorin]

Maybe in a pot the appropriate pruning time changes?
And we end up pruning off the buds?

I learned something, maybe, about bud timing from my landscape redbud this year.

Last year around mid July, give or take a few weeks, a thunderstorm with heavy winds snapped the main trunk of my ~10 foot tall eastern redbud. This resulted in the tree losing 100% of its branches and leaves. Within about 2-3 weeks it sent up about 15-20 shoots from the trunk and suckers from the base of the trunk. It survived the winter, didn't flower at all this spring (It had flowered the previous 2 springs), but then proceeded to leaf out and grow vigorously.

So I'm thinking either
1) They set their buds for next year a lot earlier than most species (June/ early July?)
2) They don't flower if they have been subject to a certain amount of stress.

 

[NaoTK]

If someone can read the Japanese in the label, you might have more information.

The Japanese says its a Hibiscus tiliaceus Talipariti tiliaceum (オオハマボウ) not a cercis

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Thank you. Guess it is NOT a redbud, I'll have to change my label on the photo.

 

[Kanorin]

Took this picture yesterday (July 15).

Are those visible axillary buds for next year's flowers?
Or are they just dormant buds in case something comes and munches off the leaf?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Those are most likely leaf buds, not flower buds. But time will tell.