redbud

/red"bud'/, n.

1. an American tree, Cercis canadensis, of the legume family, resembling the Eurasian Judas tree and having small, budlike, pink flowers: the state tree of Oklahoma.

2. any of various related trees.

[1695-1705; RED¹ + BUD¹]

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Any of the shrubs or small trees that make up the genus Cercis (family Leguminosae), native to North America, southern Europe, and Asia, and widely planted for their showy early-spring flowers and interesting branch patterns.

Clusters of small, purplish-pink flowers appear on old stems and branches before the leaves unfurl. The heart-shaped to roundish leaves quickly turn from bronzy to bright green, then to yellow in fall. The eastern redbud (C. canadensis) is the hardiest species.

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Kenneth & Brenda Formanek/EB Inc.

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▪ plant

 any of a genus of shrubs to small trees in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to North America, southern Europe, and Asia and widely planted for their showy early spring flowers. Clusters of small purplish-pink flowers appear on old stems and branches before the leaves. The heart-shaped to roundish leaves are bronzy as they unfurl but soon become bright green, turning to yellow in fall.

      The eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), up to 12 metres (40 feet) tall, is the hardiest species. It is cultivated for its rosy-purple spring flowers and interesting branch patterns; a white-flowered variety is available. The Chinese redbud (C. chinensis) is often shrubby in cultivation.

      Another redbud, C. siliquastrum, from the Mediterranean region, is often called Judas tree, for the betrayer of Christ, who is said to have hanged himself from such a tree, after which the white flowers turned red with blood or shame.

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