Cercis siliquastrum

Cercis siliquastrum, commonly called Judas tree or Mediterranean redbud or love tree, is a deciduous, often multi-trunked, understory tree with a rounded crown that typically matures to 15-25’ tall and as wide. This tree is native to woodlands in the Mediterranean region extending from southern Europe to western Asia. It is particularly noted for its stunning pea-like rose-purple or purplish-pink flowers which bloom profusely on bare branches in early spring before the foliage emerges. Nearly orbicular heart-shaped leaves emerge bronze red in spring, mature to deep green by summer and finally turn pale yellow to greenish-yellow to chestnut in fall. Rounded leaves lack the distinctive short-pointed tips found on the leaves of C. canadensis. Flowers are followed by ornamentally showy, pendant, leguminous, flattened, purple seed pods which mature by late summer but usually remain on the tree well into winter.