Family Fabaceae
Originating from E. USA

A large shrub or small tree that flowers on its bare branches before the foliage appears, and then produces a dense and abundant crown of strikingly coloured leaves that grab the attention, even from a distance. This variety forms a single-stemmed tree that can be pruned to have a clear trunk, with its lower branches removed or simply cleared of foliage, or it may be left to form a dense and wider shrub.

Its bright yellow/green heart-shaped leaves are held alternately in one plane on each side of the branches. Each leaf is held at a near right angle to its long stalk, which is reddish/pink in colour, giving them an elegant poise. The smaller stems grow in a zigzag formation, changing angle slightly where every leaf stalk joins it, and with the leaves appearing at equal distances along the branch, giving each one an incredibly organized and uniform appearance. The newest growth at the tips of them is a reddish/pink colour all over the plant, then as the season progresses it appears most intensely at the tips of the branches, with leaves closer to the base of the branches mellowing to a cheerful mid-green. The leaves in between graduate from one colour extreme to the other, giving the crown a 3D depth from its interior to the outer growth, giving the plant. This architectural quality to the foliage quality may merit experimentation with hard pruning, by 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, with pink flowers beginning this outstanding variety’s spring and summer contribution to the garden with a bang. 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, although they perform best in deep and rich soil.

Height and spread after 4 – 5 years 2m x 2m
Mature height and spread after 7 – 8 years if not pruned 4m x 4m