Cercis canadensis Flame Thrower® (Eastern Redbud)

Cercis canadensis Flame Thrower® is a breath-taking ornamental cultivar of eastern redbud known for its striking foliage and profuse, rosy-pink flowers that appear before the foliage in early spring. While many redbuds are known for unique foliage colors and growth habits, Flame Thrower® might just take the cake! As a cross of two Cercis canadensis cultivars, 'Ruby Falls' and 'The Rising Sun,' this gorgeous small tree produces fiery foliage all year round, with new growth emerging in warm shades of pale orange and red before maturing to darker wine-red hues. In the early spring, before its colorful foliage unfurls, Flame Thrower® produces cheerful pink-purple blossoms that persist for several weeks, attracting early-season bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds before its striking heart-shaped leaves emerge later in the spring. As fall approaches, the foliage takes on chartreuse yellow tones, adding even more visual appeal to an already stunning specimen.

Tough 'Ruby Falls' may be a compact, weeping variety, Cercis canadensis Flame Thrower® is slow growing, but can ultimately reach a mature height of 15-20' tall with a slightly narrower canopy. Typically found as a small understory tree or large multi-stemmed shrub, Flame Thrower® excels as a relatively compact specimen tree to attract birds, butterflies, and bees. Since it is typically found in the wild in a variety of locations, Cercis canadensis Flame Thrower® grows well in full sun to partial shade and thrives in moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Like the parent species, this cultivar is also deer resistant and tolerant of black walnut and heavy clay soils.