Cercis canadensis Eternal Flame - Eastern Redbud

The Cercis canadensis 'Eternal Flame' is a variety of Canadian Redbud remarkable for its foliage that flames in the garden from spring to autumn. In spring, the purplish pink of its flowering announces spring by covering the still bare branches. Then, throughout the season, its heart-shaped leaves gradually change from dark red to orange, golden yellow, and green, creating a superb multicoloured effect on each branch and the entire plant. In winter, the fallen leaves reveal the twisted branches of this small tree covered with dark bark.

 The Cercis canadensis 'Eternal Flame' belongs to the Fabaceae family (formerly known as Papilionaceae), and it is a horticultural variety developed in the USA at the North Carolina State University. The species, highly resistant to frost, is native to the eastern and central United States. The growth of this small tree is quite slow, and its adult size will not exceed 3.50 m (11 ft 6 in) in height and 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) in width. If regularly pruned, the Canadian redbud forms a large bush with multiple trunks. It is a small tree with a rounded habit, slightly taller than wide. The flowers appear before the leaves, in April depending on the climate, directly on the branches, even those that are only one year old. They are pea-shaped flowers, purplish pink, visible from afar. The fruits, in the form of flattened pods, are rarely present on this variety. The foliage, slightly glossy, emerges dark red, then turns shades of orange and yellow, eventually maturing to chartreuse green and then green. In moist soil, new shoots form throughout the season, allowing the foliage to maintain its four-colour appearance. The leaves are heart-shaped, rounded, thick, and smooth. The deciduous foliage falls in autumn. The branches of old specimens branch towards the ground. Its bark is dark in colour.

This Canadian Redbud or Judas tree Eternal Flame is easy to grow and accepts any type of soil as long as it is deep and not too dry. This small tree can be planted alone or used to shade a mass of heather, camellias, and pieris in acidic soil. In neutral or chalky, well-drained soil, use it, for example, in a mixed hedge, accompanied by the Montpellier maple, the smokebush Cotinus, and the winged euonymus to create a vibrant grove from September to November.