Family Fabaceae
Originating from E. USA

This is a large shrub or small tree with show-stopping qualities in all its parts. It flowers on its bare branches before the foliage appears, and then leafs up in such a striking and symmetrical way that the plant grabs the attention even from a distance. It may form a small single- stemmed tree or a large multi-stemmed shrub that can be pruned to look like a quirky little tree, with its lower stems cleared of foliage and a wide dome-shaped crown, or left to naturally form a rounded shrub.

Its rich green and semi-glossy heart-shaped leaves are held alternately on each side of the branches, and have a textured surface, appearing to be puffed up between the distinctive veins.. Each leaf is held at a near right angle to its long plum purple stalk, giving them elegant poise. The branches are stiffly upright, giving the plant a compact and distinctive shape, and the smaller stems grow in a zigzag formation, changing angle slightly where every leaf stalk joins it.

The leaves are held at equal distances along the branch, apart from the newest growth at the tip, and all at the same angle, giving an incredibly organized and uniform appearance to each branch. If one considers the Redbud’s upright branching habit adorned with the aforementioned arrangement of foliage one can envision the ‘explosive’ look of the plant. This architectural foliage quality may merit experimentation with hard pruning, keeping the plant pollarded back from its potential 4m mature height. If well fed and watered in a deep and rich soil the plant should grow vigorously, producing even bigger foliage.

The floral display in spring is an added bonus to start off C. ‘Ace Of Hearts’ spring and summer contribution to the garden. The clusters of bright cerise-pink blooms are held tightly to the branches, each one curved in on itself in a shrimp-like formation. They last several weeks and fade as the foliage begins to emerge. Cercis are easy plants to grow and will tolerate most soil types in full sun although they perform best in deep and rich soil.

Height and spread after 4 – 5 years 2m x 2m
Mature height and spread after 8 – 10 years if not pruned 4m x 4m