Redbud

Leaves

Form

• Deciduous, alternate, simple
• Heart-shaped to rounded, tip short, blunt
• 5–9 principal veins
• Prominent, radiating from the base of the blade 

Width

• 8–13 cm

Colour

• Upper surface pale bluish-green
• Lower surface lighter

Margin

• Smooth

Petiole

• Swollen where it meets the leaf blade

Buds

Form

• Terminal bud absent
• Lateral buds slender, flat, pressed against the twig with 5 or 6 scales
• Second very small bud may be present, partially covered by the leaf scar
• Flower buds larger, rounded, stalked
• In small clusters, on branches and trunk
• Leaf scars raised, inversely triangular with 3 vein scars

Colour

• Lateral buds dark reddish-brown

Twigs

Form

• Slender, zigzag
• 3 ridges extending down from each leaf scar

Colour

• Reddish-brown
• Pith pinkish, with darker streaks

Flowers

Form

• Pea-flower shape
• On stalks about as long as the flowers
• Numerous, in small clusters along the trunk and branches

Length

• About 10 mm

Colour

• Deep pink in the bud, becoming pale pink as petals open

Structure

• Synoecious

Floral timing

• Early in spring before the leaves

Fruits

Form

• Flat pod
• Pointed at both ends
• Short-stalked
• In small lateral clusters

Length

• 5–10 cm

Colour

• Pod reddish-brown

Structure

• Legume

Seeds

Form

• Shiny, flat, round, hard
• 10–12 per pod

Colour

• Brown

Bark

Form

• Smooth when young, becoming scaly with age

Colour

• Grey with reddish streaks when young, becoming reddish-brown

Size

Height

• To 8 m

Tree form

Forest-grown

Trunk

• Low
• Many branches

Crown

• Spreading, with horizontal and ascending branches

Habitat

Site

• A tree of the understory and forest edges
• Often along streams

Light tolerance

• Shade-tolerant

Range

Native to eastern North America, from Mexico to the north
Natural range in Canada uncertain
Probably native in Canada on Lake Erie's Pelee Island