Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis Linnaeus    Synonyms: Judas-tree.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Fabales   >   Family Fabaceae   >   Genus Cercis   

Status:

Eastern Redbud is an understory tree, seldom reaching more than 10 meters tall. It grows in rich, moist soils, usually in partial shade (Brown and Brown, 1972), and often along rivers and streams (Voss and Reznicek, 2012). It will grow in a fairly wide range of soils as long as they are well drained. It lives about 20 or 30 years.

Description:

The flowers are pea-like, like the flowers of other members of the legume family. Redbud flowers grow directly from the trunk or limbs of the tree, a trait more typical of tropical than of temperate-zone trees. The leaves are heart shaped or nearly circular.

Where to find:

Found commonly in Maryland, except in parts of the Eastern Shore.

Relationships:

Host plant for various moth species including Redbud Leaffolder Moth, White-marked Tussock Moth, White Flannel Moth, American Dagger Moth and Io Moth (Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants).

Host plant for various beetle species including Redbud Borer and Redbud Bruchid.

Host plant for the leafhopper Erythroneura bistrata.

There are 473 records in the project database.

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Eastern Redbud in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/27/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A close-up of Eastern Redbud flowers in Washington Co., Maryland (4/20/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An Eastern Redbud in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/28/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/17/2014). Photo by Elizabeth Miller. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in Kent Co., Maryland (4/16/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in Washington Co., Maryland (4/27/2014). Photo by John Hall. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/7/2017). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/21/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in Howard Co., Maryland (5/8/2013). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (4/8/2017). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/7/2012). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/18/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud (trunk) in Howard Co., Maryland (2/11/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Allegany Co., Maryland (10/28/2013). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

An Eastern Redbud in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/10/2013). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in Carroll Co., Maryland (4/18/2017). Photo by Jim Wilkinson. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud blooming in Harford Co., Maryland (4/23/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Baltimore City, Maryland (4/23/2020). (c) Katy Newcomer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Katy Newcomer via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Redbud in Howard Co., Maryland (5/17/2018). Image processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)


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