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Project Noah Nature School
Cercis occidentalis
The thin, shiny brown branches bear shiny heart-shaped leaves which are light green early in the season and darken as they age. Leaves on plants at higher elevation may turn gold or red as the weather cools. The showy flowers are bright pink or magenta, and grow in clusters all over the shrub, making the plant very colorful and noticeable in the landscape. The shrub bears 3-inch-long brown legume pods which are very thin and dry.
I've seen this along the freeway in Northern California but I haven't seen it close up until now. At first glance, I thought it was a lilac. Native Californians use the twigs of the western redbud to weave baskets, and even prune the shrub to encourage growth of new twigs. The bark provides a faint reddish dye for the finished basketry.
Spotted on Apr 1, 2012
Submitted on Apr 2, 2012
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