Redbud – Cercis canadensis

Common Name: Redbud

Botanical Name: Cercis canadensis, SIR-sis can-a-DEN-sis

Decorative Life: 7-10 days.

Flower Color: Pink, White

Availability: Spring

• Member of the Fabaceae or Leguminosae (pea) family.
• Native to the Eastern US and Canada.
• Related species include Acacia, brooms, locust, palo verde.

• Small flowers with wing and banner petals occur along woody branches.
• Stems are woody, cut to various lengths.
• Plant is a deciduous shrub or tree, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined.
• Flowers are not fragrant.

34-38F in water.

• One of relatively few plant species that can transform nitrogen from the atmosphere into a nitrogen form that plants can use as a fertilizer.
• The specific epithet name “canadensis” means of Canada. Cercis from Greek “kerkis” (name given by Theophrastus to describe its large, woody, flattened fruit).

Redman et al. (2002) reported that 35-45F storage temperature gave equal results (they did not try lower or higher temperatures), at these temperatures they could be stored wet for only a maximum of one week, STS was not beneficial but flower food did enhance flower life.