Plant Of The Week: Eastern Redbud
Kai Goldstein | April 1, 2025
Eastern Redbud || Cercis Canadensis
A delightful cross in flavor between a sweet snap pea and a peanut, Eastern Redbud flowers are one of my favorite things to nibble off a branch. These nitrogen-fixing, magenta-adorned native understory trees are wonderful from head to toe (or rather from apical bud to root hairs). So wonderful, in fact, that George Washington himself would journey into the woods frequently to find young saplings he could transplant to his garden in Mount Vernon. Despite their size, these trees provide significant amounts of food for wildlife. Many native bees visit the tiny blossoms and birds like the bobwhite quail feast on the resulting seeds, whose pods often cling onto the tree through winter. When unripe and still green, these pods can be pickled or prepared similarly to snow peas. The flowers and flower buds can be eaten raw in many forms, but always remember the importance of moderation and sustainable harvesting. Indigenous Americans had more than one use for the gracious tree, using infusions of the bark and roots for different ailments like whooping cough and congestion. This iconic reminder of spring to those who share its region is also an ecological wingman to the trees that share its rootspace. Rock on, Redbud.
