Main Street Mount Joy Planters: Redbud

This article is the third in a series of eleven, featuring details about the native plants that can be found in the plant containers Green Man Enviroscaping LLC installed and maintains for Main Street Mount Joy.

A number of years ago, I took a trip down south in the early spring, and one of the most memorable sights were all the redbuds along the highway ~ sometimes planted in orderly lines, but mostly peeking out of a mixed forest, one here, and one there... and then, after returning home and allowing a little more time, I noticed one in the woods along my drive in to work, and I realized how great these trees really are.

The eastern redbud, Cercis canadensis is native to Pennsylvania, its range stretching up into New York, Massachusetts, and parts of Canada, however, it isn't seen in the wild here in the numbers it can be found in Virginia and North Carolina... or even just over the border in Maryland. In neighboring New Jersey, it is listed as endangered, and in Connecticut it is of "special concern".

Along Main Street in Mount Joy, the redbud can be found as the centerpiece in the planters in front of 75 E Main Street, The Shoppes of Main Street Mount Joy office, and at Rutt's Appliances. The tree in that last location is doing particularly well, due primarily to the extra care given to it by Galen Rutt. He came out to talk with us on our first day working at that planter, and his interest level is clearly visible when you compare that tree with the other two. While the others are doing well, the one in front of Rutt's is growing by leaps and bounds.

The redbud is most often used as a specimen tree in the home landscape. It stays small, growing to 20 or 30 feet high, and is a better choice for areas with overhead lines than the larger trees such as maples or oaks. The root system tends to develop a deep taproot, and the horizontal roots aren't known for causing problems with nearby walkways. Because the redbud can do well under such conditions, it can be found as a street tree here in Mount Joy and in other communities within its range.

The pink flowers that help the tree stand out amongst the other forest trees bloom before the leaves come out. The blooms appear all along the stems and branches instead of at the tips of the stems. The redbud has a place in the edible garden as well: the flowers and flower buds can be eaten raw or boiled or sauteed. They have a slightly sour taste, and are high in vitamin C.

While the leaves don't provide standout Autumn color, they do have a heart shape that can work nicely as a backdrop for an old fashioned or a romantic-themed garden.

Resources
Check out the redbud on the USDA PLANTS database here, on the Missouri Botanical Garden's Kemper Center for Home Gardening here, and at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin here ~ all three provide excellent resources for plants, particularly in identifying or finding natives.

If you'd like to learn if and where the redbud can fit into your home landscape, please contact Green Man Enviroscaping LLC and we'd be happy to help you!