Cercis canadensis 'Ace of Hearts'
Ace of Hearts Eastern Redbud

Cercis canadensis ′Ace of Hearts′ - Habit

Family:

Fabaceae (Bean Family) 50

Genus:

Cercis (Redbud) 15

Plant Type:

Tree 569

Growth Forms:

Upright 571

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 4 515

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 836

Flower Notes:

Pink (Numerous, small lavender-rose flowers in late March to early April)

Foliage Notes:

Red-Violet (Young and emerging leaves); Green (Lustrous green, heart-shaped leaves in summer); Yellow (Fall foliage)

Fruit Notes:

Green (Flattened green seed pods that eventually mature to brown in late summer; produced less abundantly than species type on this cultivar)

Ultimate Height:

12 feet

Ultimate Spread:

11 feet

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Grows in soil of low fertility and higher alkalinity

Range:

Cultivated origin

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Alternate, simple, cordate (heart-shaped), 3-5" long leaves with pulvinus (distinct swelling) just below the blade. Leaves appear to overlap one another in a shingle-like pattern along the stems. Young leaves emerge with a red-purple tinge. Stems form a zig-zag pattern. Flowers are small (0.5" long), pale purplish-pink, and pea-like. Bark on older mature trees can be an attractive brownish-black with orange inner bark showing through.

Special Characteristics:

Tolerant of Poor Site Conditions 187

Notable Texture 282

Additional Information

The leaves of this compact, low fruiting Redbud cultivar are shaped like the Ace of Hearts in a deck of cards and regularly overlap down the stem. Relatively trouble-free and drought-resistant. Requires some protection from the sun in hotter climates, however flowering decreases with deep shade. Canker, leaf spot, and verticillium wilt can be problematic for older trees, or trees weakened by other environmental stresses. Long tap root means that older plants transplant poorly.