Cercis canadensis Red Force - Eastern Redbud

Cercis Canadensis 'Red Force' is a variety of Eastern Redbud whose foliage displays a beautiful purple hue, darker than the Forest Pansy variety. Like its more common cousin, the Judas tree with its pink flowers, this small tree produces numerous clusters of flowers before the leaves, in the month of April. At the end of flowering, delicately heart-shaped leaves emerge. They remain purple throughout the growing season and evolve into shades of orange-red in autumn. Easy to grow, this Redbud thrives in various soils, even slightly chalky, and is resistant to pollution, making it an ideal choice for small urban gardens.

The Cercis canadensis is a tree native to the eastern and central United States, belonging to the large family Fabaceae (formerly known as Leguminosae). It can reach a height of 12m (39 ft 5 in) in its natural habitat but rarely exceeds 4 to 7m (13 ft 1 in to 23 ft) in cultivation. It forms a more or less twisted, low-branched tree, often wider than it is tall. The Canadian Redbud has given rise to many varieties with different habits, flower colors, and foliage.

Cercis canadensis 'Red Force' is a recent French selection (2010), still not widely available in gardens, but its numerous qualities will undoubtedly contribute to its dissemination. This variety reaches about 5m (16 ft 5 in) in height in 10 years, with a spread of about 3m (9 ft 10 in), and has a relatively upright habit compared to other Redbuds. The flowering occurs in April: the branches, still devoid of leaves, are then adorned with a superb pink flowering. The flowers are particularly abundant, papilionaceous, grouped in clusters along the branches and even on the trunk, which often surprises novice gardeners. Once the flowering is over, this Canadian Redbud is adorned with heart-shaped leaves, purple in color until autumn. It then takes on beautiful shades of orange-red to end the year in splendor!

This pretty little tree, particularly decorative in spring and autumn, is very hardy and can be planted in all regions of France. Not demanding, it adapts to different types of soils (even tolerating some limestone) as long as they are well-drained. Preferring full sun, it also tolerates partial shade and does not require any specific pruning. It is a very accommodating plant and valuable for small gardens, especially in urban areas, as it withstands atmospheric pollution well.
Its abundant pink flowering will perfectly complement white-flowering shrubs, such as the numerous spring spireas, from the small Spiraea cinerea 'Grefsheim' with its slender branches covered in flowers, to the more imposing Japanese spirea 'Snowmound' with its easy cultivation. The golden foliage will create a strong contrast with the purple of our Redbud, creating spectacular plantings throughout the season. The bright Physocarpus 'Angel Gold' will also offer its late white flowering, followed by red fruits until autumn, a simple combination to achieve for a decorative scene from spring to autumn!