''Cercis occidentalis'', the western redbud or California redbud (syn. ''Cercis orbiculata'' — Greene), is a small tree or shrub in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is found across the

American Southwest The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado ...

, from California to Utah and Arizona. It is easily recognized when it is in bloom from March to May, when it is covered with small pink to purple flowers.

Description

''Cercis occidentalis'' has thin, shiny brown branches that bear shiny heart-shaped leaves which are light green early in the season and darken as they age. Leaves on plants at higher elevation may turn gold or red as the weather cools. The showy flowers are bright pink or magenta, and they grow in clusters all over the shrub, making the plant very colorful and noticeable in the landscape. The shrub bears 3-inch-long brown

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

pods which are very thin and dry. Its native habitats include dry slopes and foothills of canyons below .

Uses

Indigenous Californians The indigenous peoples of California (known as Native Californians) are the indigenous inhabitants who have lived or currently live in the geographic area within the current boundaries of California before and after the arrival of Europeans. W ...

use the twigs of the western redbud to weave baskets, and even

prune A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica''). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of '' Prunus domestica'' varieties that have a high so ...

the shrub to encourage growth of new twigs. The bark provides a faint reddish dye for the finished basketry. The Concow tribe calls the tree or (

Konkow language The Konkow language, also known as Northwest Maidu (also ''Concow-Maidu'', or ' in the language itself) is a part of the Maiduan language group. It is spoken in California. It is severely endangered, with three remaining elders who learned to s ...

Cultivation

''Cercis occidentalis'' is cultivated as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

and tree, for planting in parks and gardens, and as a street tree. It is also used in

drought tolerant Drought tolerance is the ability to which a plant maintains its biomass production during arid or drought conditions. Some plants are naturally adapted to dry conditions'','' surviving with protection mechanisms such as desiccation tolerance, deto ...

native plant In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...

, and

wildlife garden A wildlife garden (or wild garden) is an environment created by a gardener that serves as a sustainable haven for surrounding wildlife. Wildlife gardens contain a variety of habitats that cater to native and local plants, birds, amphibian ...

s.Las Pilitas Nursery database — ''Cercis occidentalis'' (Western Redbud)
. accessed 3.23.2013

Images

File:Western red bud near Briceburg 2019-04-14.jpg, Western redbud near Briceburg, California April 2019 File:Merced canyon spring 2019.jpg, Redbud, poppies and much more − Merced River canyon March 2019

References

* Casebeer, M. (2004). ''Discover California Shrubs''. Sonora, California: Hooker Press.

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment — ''Cercis occidentalis'' (western redbud)CalFlora Database: ''Cercis occidentalis''USDA Plants Profile: ''Cercis orbiculata'' ''(Cercis occidentalis)''Interactive Distribution Map for ''Cercis occidentalis''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5063945 occidentalis Flora of California Flora of Arizona Flora of Nevada Flora of Utah Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Garden plants of North America Drought-tolerant plants Ornamental trees Flora without expected TNC conservation status