Judas trees (Cercis) offer a variety of garden designs through three main species with numerous variations plus some rarer specimens. The most beautiful Judas tree varieties are listed and described below.
Table of Contents
The most beautiful Judas tree varieties
The most common Judas tree species are:
- Common Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum)
- Canadian Judas Tree (Cercis canadensis)
- Chinese Judas Tree (Cercis chinensis)
Most Judas tree varieties love a location that has the following characteristics:
- sunny to a maximum of semi-shady
- warm
- sheltered from the wind
Common Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum)
„Alba“
- Growth: shrubby or as a tree; slightly bushy
- Growth height: between 300 and 600 centimeters
- flower: simple; pure white; from April to May
- Special features: pedigree; hardy when old; insect friendly; very good heat and drought tolerance; golden fall color
Bodnant”
- Growth: large, bushy; well branched; funnel shaped
- Growth height: up to twelve meters
- Flower: dark pink to magenta; from April to May
- Special features: subtle floral scent; lime-loving; decorative fruit ornaments from September; hardy with cold protection
„Rubra“
- growth: umbrella-like; tight
- Growth height: between 500 and 800 centimeters
- flower: dark red; from April to May
- Special features: grey-green leaves; hardy when old; Young plants need protection from the cold; very cut compatible
Canadian Judas Tree (Cercis canadensis)
| kind | growth | growth height | blossoms | heyday | particularities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| „Cascading Hearts“ | overhanging , cascading , broadly upright | between 150 and 300 centimeters | Butterfly flowers crimson, pink to violet | April to May | yellow-green foliage very hardy very decorative |
| „Forest Pansy“ | loosely open, wide , multi-stemmed | between 500 and 800 centimeters | pink to dark red | March to April | the older, the more winter-hardy , also suitable for pot culture |
| „Hearts of Gold“ | wide upright | between 300 and 500 centimeters | simply cup-shaped , light violet to pink-violet | March to April | very hardy sandy loamy soil yellow-green foliage long, banana-shaped pods in autumn very compatible with urban areas winter protection for young plants |
| „Lavender Twist“ | erect with drooping shoots | between 200 and 300 centimeters | single pink-violet growing in clusters | April | Cold protection for young plants brown- grey bark light floral scent |
| „Little Woody“ | funnel -shaped umbrellaous, dense crown polyhedral shrubbery | between 200 and 250 centimeters | simply pink-violet | April to early May | red young leaves yellow autumn leaves decorative fruit decoration hardy ideal for small gardens |
| „Merlot“ | upright wide spreading | between 300 and 400 centimeters | butterfly pink, purplish-pink | April to May | Enormously rich in flowers, dark red leaves , hardy , very robust , also suitable as a container plant |
| „Oklahoma“ | upright loosely shrubby | between 250 and 400 centimeters | simply pink to pink | April to May | “American” Judas tree (Cercis canadensis var. texensis) very bee- and insect-friendly with increasing age, winter-hardy tubs can be kept |
| „Pink Pink Poms“ | upright loose broad-crowned shrub or as a tree (depending on the cut) | between 300 and 700 centimeters | filled bright pink | March to April | light green foliage lush abundance of flowers subtle scent of flowers very tolerant of pruning well winter -hardy suitable for tub cultivation |
| „Rising Sun“ | upright , multi -stemmed | between 150 and 300 centimeters | simply pink spherical | early April to late May | orange and purple autumn leaves undemanding , only hardy after a few years |
| „Royal White“ | shrubby to small trees , upright, well branched, slightly bushy | between 500 and 700 centimeters | simply pure white funnel-shaped | March to April | yellow autumn colors matt leaf green very bee-friendly hardy down to minus 20°C |
| „Ruby Falls“ | compact , upright hanging twigs , well-branched, shrub -like | between 200 and 400 centimeters | just pink | April to May | very floriferous reddish-orange autumn colors optimal for single position only fully grown frost-resistant |
| „Texas White“ | upright, spreading , densely branched | between 200 and 300 centimeters | creamy white racemose similar to orchids | April to May | “American” Judas tree (Cercis canadensis var. texensis) in Central Europe rarely golden-yellow autumn leaves flowers also on the trunk decorative pods into the winter container plant |
| „Vanilla Twist“ | upright shrub or tree | between 100 and 600 centimeters | plain white to creamy white | April to May | frost-resistant from the age of three tolerates pruning frequent pruning reduces the abundance of flowers |
Chinese Judas Tree (Cercis chinensis)
„Avondale“
- Growth: upright; compact; shrubby; overhanging flowers
- Growth height: between 200 and 350 centimeters
- flower: racemose; violet-red; from April to May
- Special features: Mediterranean flair; suitable for hedge planting and privacy protection in the garden ; yellow autumn color; undemanding
„Don Egolf“
- Growth: upright
- Growth height: between 200 and 350 centimeters
- Flower: pink to pink; from April to May
- Special features: very sensitive to waterlogging; round leaves; strong flowering; autumn coloring; Protection against the cold recommended in extreme sub-zero temperatures
“Shirobana”
- Growth: upright, bushy, compact
- Growth height: between 200 and 350 centimeters
- flower: simple; creamy white; from April to May
- Special features: hardy when old; resistant to pests; flowers before leaves shoot; ideal for privacy in the garden; allows topiary
Upright Judas tree (Cercis glabra)
- Growth: upright, slow-growing; Side shoots arching overhanging
- Growth height: between 300 and 450 centimeters
- flower: simple; pink; from April to May
- Special features: ideal for gardens in hardiness zones six to eight; protection against the cold recommended in harsh winter regions; golden yellow autumn color; bumblebee and bee pasture; lime loving
frequently asked Questions
As a rule, all varieties of this Judas tree species require a development time of between three and five years. If they are exposed to prolonged frost during this period, they may suffer frost cracks in the trunk and branches. A suitable protection against the cold prevents this. Potted plants should be relocated to a frost-free but cool winter quarters between zero and five degrees Celsius. From the age of six at the latest, most varieties are very hardy.
The Canadian Judas tree “Little Woody” is particularly popular for small gardens. But also varieties of the Chinese Judas tree are well suited for planting in a small garden due to their lower growth height and growth width. Most specimens are very easy to cut and can be optimally adapted to the space available on site. In the case of large-growing Judas trees, however, this requires regular pruning and consequently more maintenance.
The leaves of Judas trees are all heart-shaped. Depending on the variety, they can be rounder, more oval, wider, narrower, smaller and larger. Some are smooth-edged, others jagged. They also differ in color. But the heart shape is clearly visible in almost every strain. An exception is the Chinese Judas tree “Don Egolf” with more rounded than heart-shaped leaves.
