First of all, there is no perfect tree, either for a street or landscape planting. However, many excellent cultivars are now available at local nurseries and retail garden centers. Select one that matches your site requirements. Site factors include: amount of sunlight daily, soil type, soil pH (acidity or alkalinity), and soil drainage. What kind of […]
Archive for the ‘Redbud’ Category
Protect Young Trees and Shrubs From Voles, Rabbits And Other Critters
Rabbits, chipmunks, and voles (field mice) need a home for the winter. They often choose to nestle up near newly planted trees and shrubs and gnaw on their sweet sapwood, girdling the trunk and essentially killing the tree. Fruit-bearing plants often damaged by critters over their first 1-2 winters include: apple, pear, peach, redbud, blueberry, and cane fruits. Young […]
New Redbuds With Striking Foliage Abound
Over the past decade Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) has undergone a real facelift. This native spring flowering tree can no longer be solely identified by its green heart-shaped leaves. New foliage color choices will decidedly catch your eye and win you over. With some reservations most redbud cultivars fall within USDA hardiness zones 5-9. […]
Pest Alert: Kudzu Bug- Plant Pest And Home Invader
Kudzu bug was first seen in Atlanta, Georgia in 2009. Currently, this plant pest and home invader has spread rapidly through the southern U.S. (to Texas) and as far north as eastern Maryland and southern Delaware. Kudzu bug belongs to the shield bug family (Plataspidae), but does emit a strong odor. It secretes a noxious […]
Evaluating The Weeping Redbuds
There are so many fine redbuds (Cercis spp.) which are hardy in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7) and elsewhere. Through research and breeding efforts at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC, Southeast U.S. gardeners can grow several more cultivars of our native Eastern redbud (C. canadensis and subspecies texensis) and […]
Redbuds With Very Few Messy Seed Pods
A few years back my church pastor complained about the ugly load of seed pods covering the redbud branches (Cercis canadensis) on the property in the fall. My suggestion to avoid messy seed pods is to plant seedless redbud cultivars. A number of native redbud (C. canadensis) cultivars produce few to no seed pods. Let’s start with the cultivars ‘Ace of Hearts’ and sister seedling ‘Little […]