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Florida Gardening

My Forest Pansy Redbud's First Leaves!

16 years ago

Continuing a discussion in another thread about ornamental trees in general, and redbuds in particular, here are a couple of photos of the first, TINY new leaves on my Forest Pansy redbud. It is supposed to hold this burgundy or purple color throughout the spring and most of the summer. I read that it can go a bit dark green if it's a very hot & dry summer, but that the red color should stay most of the time, followed by a bit of orange in the fall. And then, of course, there's the FANTASTIC spring bloom.

I think I'm going to LOVE this tree! I read somewhere that it was a purple leaved sport, found in the forest, hence the name "Forest Pansy." Is anyone else growing this variety?

Marcia

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Comments (6)

treefrog_fl
16 years ago
It's Spring!
Hooray!
manature
Original Author
16 years ago
Now don't you just wish you had a tree with a hundred little red valentines on it, wishing YOU a happy spring when you walk outside? I tell ya, Tree, it makes me happy!! They look like someone just stuck them on to make me smile!

Marcia
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Forest Pansy Redbud not leafing out
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I have planted many trees in my lifetime without any problems. So yes I do know how to plant a tree. The question is simple. Does no leaves on the branches mean these branches will never get leaves because it has died back and is it now a lost cause? Other redbuds in the neighborhood are all leafing out.
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The only redbuds safe in zone 4 are the Univ. of MN strain, realistically. The northernmost parts of the redbuds range are really zone 5 in parts of MI, Ontario, Iowa, and Ohio (if you use the old USDA map). I'm not even sure if the MN strain is actually MN native or just something that was bred by selection over time in Minnesota winters to pull out the hardiest of the hardiest. Forest Pansy, and most of the cultivars, often come from more southern selections and are even less hardy - probably zone 6 at best. 'Appalachian Red' is probably OK to zone 5, but not 4. 'Columbus Hardy' (from Ohio, as you'd expect with the name) is also zone 5, maybe 4B from what I've seen. The other cultivars are all probably 5B-6A. If you're in zone 4, I'd stick with the MN strain. Zone 5, I'd stick with MN strain plus seedgrown from northern sources and Columbus Hardy. Zone 6-9 any of them should do well, but in z9 you might not get enough winter chill for the northern strains so I'd use a southern seed source. They pretty much all do fine here in Maryland, zone 7. This post was edited by hairmetal4ever on Fri, Jun 13, 14 at 12:10
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Jennifer, I would like to suggest you make this same post on the Tree Forum. You'll likely get a lot more responses from people who've had experience with the Forest Pansy.
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Comments (3)
Hardiness zone-wise, the Eastern Redbud should do fine in Front Range area, but of course other things than zone come into play here in Colorado. Like tommysmom, I'm in the Denver metro area, so I am not sure this will help you... Two of our neighbors (across the street from our house) have redbuds in their yards; they are mature trees and thrive year after year with a wonderful display of flowers in the early spring. I, however, haven't had much luck with them in my yard. One that I purchased did OK for a few years but then split in half one winter and died. I have had several "volunteers" that showed up in my yard - seeds from my neighbors' trees obviously - but most of them have died, not making it through their first winter. I do have a couple of seedlings (about 3 or 4 ft high) that seem to be OK this spring - one even has about 3 flower clusters on it, lol - so perhaps my luck has changed, but I am not counting on it! It could be that the trees need some extra protection from the cold and wind during their first year or so here in Colorado, which I have not provided. Perhaps they need tree wrap, extra mulch, or.... The blooms of the Eastern Redbuds are beautiful and I really like the leaves as well, so I would love to have one that survives. karljr - if no one from Colorado Springs responds, you can always check with a reputable nursery in your area and see what they recommend. Holly
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sandygator
16 years ago
Yes, Marcia, your tree makes me smile and yes, I wish I had one too. (-:
Sandy
I'm smiling 'cause I'm getting rocks and manure today!
nova_gw
16 years ago
What a lovely tree! Blooms and little valentines, what more could you want! OK, fess up, where did you get it from?

nova
manature
Original Author
16 years ago
Nova, I found it at a local nursery called Fairfield Farms, on SR46, just west of I-4. I was looking at all sorts of small trees, and thinking about eastern redbuds or maybe flowering nectarine, when they showed me this one, and I was SOLD! Pricey (to me) but a beautifully shaped and healthy looking tree. It's Part 2 of our 22nd Anniversary Memorial Yard Project! (Part 1 was the Ali Baba fountain.)

And Sandygator, now I'm envious of YOOOOU! Manure!! I wish I had a truckload!! Still haven't made it to the mushroom farms, but I swear I'm going to get there in the next couple of weeks! Somehow!! (I suspect there will be another Magical Mystery Tour in the VW van! Victor Willie rides again!)

Marcia
butterflygardener
16 years ago
Marcia that is gorgeous! I have seen them in books but not in person. Today I found out there is one at Mounts Botanical Gardens. I will have to seek it out since I want to see how it looks in zone 10. I always thought we were too far south! Enjoy your purdy tree!
Kat

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