Judas tree

Description:

It is a deciduous small tree, that blooms in pink flowers. It is a member of the Fabaceae family. The flowers are zygomorphic and the upper petal is distinguisly bigger than the others (banner). In Greece, this shape of flower is called ψυχόμορφο (meaning to look like butterfly). The leaves appear shortly after the first flowers emerge. These are heart-shaped with a blunt apex, which occasionally has a shallow notch at the tip. The tree produces long flat pods that hang vertically. (Wiki) In these photos, the tree is spotted at the end of its bloom period.

Habitat:

In Greece, Cercis siliquastrum is a very common tree in the cities, planted on the pavements.

Notes:

About its name, there is a longstanding myth that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from a tree of this species. This belief is related to the common name "Judas Tree" which is possibly a corrupted derivation from the French common name, Arbre de Judée meaning tree of Judea, referring to a region where the tree occurs. (Wiki)