Texas Redbud

Description:

This Cercis canadensis variety is a large shrub or small tree, 10-20 ft. in height, differing from the more easterly Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis var. canadensis) in having smaller, more glossy, and usually hairier leaves with wavy edges, more of a tendency to have red seedpods, and a smaller stature. With a natural range extending from the mountains of southern Oklahoma through the limestone spine of central Texas south to northeastern Mexico, it is also more drought-tolerant than Eastern redbud, though less so than the smaller, more western Mexican redbud (Cercis canadensis var. mexicana). Like all Cercis canadensis varieties, its clusters of flowers appear in early spring before the leaves emerge and continue to bloom as the leaves develop. Leaves are heart shaped to kidney shaped, rounded at the tip, slightly wavy on the edges, and glossy, often with some hairiness on the underside. Flowers rose purple, in small clusters along the branches, appearing before the leaves, in March or early April. Fruit a flat, reddish brown pod up to 4 inches long and pointed at the tip. Deciduous leaves turn gold or red in fall. Seedpods are reddish purple and persist into the winter.

Habitat:

This particular redbud is growing right out of a rocky outcrop above Lake Belton's shore.

Notes:

The flowers of redbud trees are wonderfully tasty with a fresh, slightly sweet flavor. The opened flowers are sweeter than ones still closed up in a bud. The young seedpods can be used as peapods in stir-frys or sauteed for the first few weeks they are around, but then become stringing, tough, and somewhat bitter.