Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) — Plotwright

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Eastern redbud

Habit (mature) · Cbaile19 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Limited coverage

Eastern redbud

Cercis canadensis

A small native multi-trunked deciduous tree of eastern and central North America, beloved for its dense early-spring display of magenta-pink pea-shaped flowers borne directly on bare branches before leaf-out. Heart-shaped foliage all summer, yellow fall color, and ecological value as host for 12 species of Lepidoptera larvae. Visited by the southeastern blueberry bee (Habropoda laboriosa) — a documented early-spring forager, though its true host-specialization is on Vaccinium (blueberry), not Cercis.

Native: 30 US states

Review: Source-backed

Climate fit: broad (83/100)

Focal point

Structure

Pollinator

Light

Full sun / Part shade

Water

Moderate water

Mature size

240-360" tall · 240" apart

Hardy in zones

4a-9b

very cold to frosty winters

Summer heat range

Cool-Hot

cool to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.

Native in Illinois

Yes

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A documented larval host for the Io moth — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.

Wildlife relationships

Cold hardiness

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7b

Plotwright

Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)

Well-suited

In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

°C

°F

Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 41 ecoregions — 40 climate-resilient through 2070 · 1 suited today. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

Arizona Mountains forests

Atlantic coastal pine barrens

Blue Mountains forests

Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

Central Tallgrass prairie

Central-Southern Cascades Forests

Chilean Matorral

Sources & citations

Cite this page

For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.

Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/cercis-canadensis

Sources for every fact

Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

University extension service

Backs 17 fields

Identity

Summary

Plant type

Light

Moisture

Hardiness

Heat zone

Size

Spacing

Habit

Design roles

Seasonal interest

Growth stages

Lifecycle

Regional guidance

Success tips

Designer notes

Wikimedia Commons

Photo · CC0

Backs 1 field

Image

Community photos

The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.

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