Redbud Lite

Here are two of our favorite new redbuds growing at JLBG…both from the NC State breeding program of Dr. Dennis Werner. The first is Cercis canadensis ‘Flame Thrower’, which boasts pumpkin colored leaves that emerge gold. The second is Cercis canadensis ‘Golden Falls’, a fabulous pendulous form, whose leaves remain gold all summer.

Cercis canadensis ‘Flame Thrower’
Cercis canadensis ‘Golden Falls’

5 thoughts on “Redbud Lite”

  1. I love Flamethrower, but I am hesitant after my experience with Forest Pansy. Does Flamethrower get any fall color? Looks like yours might get a lot of sun. Does it need full sun to get and keep that color, or would it lose that color in more shade? Does it keep the color through the heat of the summer? I have Forest Pansy, and I love it in spring, but it does go fairly green in shade and the heat of the summer. Its fall color is mostly nothing to write home about, whereas in some years (with cold nights and warm days) the straight species gets fairly decent yellow fall color.

    1. We do not recall seeing any fall color on Cercis ‘Flame Thrower’, but the leaf color holds well through the summer. All redbuds have better leaf color with some sun, but they don’t need full sun all day. Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’ was a first generation colored leaf redbud, so have there have been dramatic advancements since that time with foliage color that holds all summer. Cercis ‘Merlot’ and ‘Ruby Falls’, both developed at NC State are purple leaf selection with long lasting foliage color. Fall color is clone specific, even in wild populations.

  2. Pamela Thomas

    I was so pleased to find an older article here on Dwarf Paw Paw, Asimina angustifolia. I had seen this plant all my life here in North Florida but never knew its name Thank you! Where is your nursery located? I love the new Redbud in your latest post. It may be time for me to take a road trip.

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