Photo: Connon Nurseries 
Photo: Burnheim Aboretum 
Photo: Peter Haynes
The Eastern redbud will greet you in April with lovely purple-pink flowers. Redbuds are deciduous trees with heart-shaped leaves and small purple-pink flowers that grow in clusters along the trunk and branches before their leaves even emerge.
In Canada, redbuds are most likely only native to Pelee Island, Ontario, the most southerly point of the province. They have naturalized, however, so it’s difficult to tell their natural range. They are often planted in gardens as an ornamental tree. They are prized as landscape trees because they are small (up to 8m only) and have lots of visual interest, such as zig-zaggy branches, fruit that look like reddish-brown, flattened snow peas, cheerful flowers, and romantic, heart-shaped leaves.
Want to plant one?
Redbuds enjoy rich, well-drained soils and shade. ReForest London often has them at our tree sales and sometimes at our tree giveaways. Most nurseries carry them as well.
Image Sources
Burnheim Aboretum & Research Forest. “Eastern Redbud”
Connon Nurseries. “Eastern Redbud”
Haynes, Peter. Gardening Know How. “Eastern redbud”