Eastern Redbud 'Forest Pansy' (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy')
SIR-sis kan-ah-DEN-sis 'Forest Pansy'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Spreading, Horizontally-Tiered in the Fabaceae Family
 
Buy Eastern Redbud 'Forest Pansy'
Size Notes Price Availability
#7 gallon Field $168.03 Likely available
1/24 - 4/4

One of the most popular purple-leaved redbud selections, Forest Pansy was discovered as a chance seedling in 1947 at the former Forest Nursery in McMinnville, Tennessee. Like the species, it opens a profusion of small, rosy-purple, pea-like flowers directly on bare branches in early spring, just ahead of the foliage. The heart-shaped leaves emerge a striking deep red-purple, gradually fading toward green through summer (the color holds longest where summers stay cool), then finish the season in shades of red, orange, and purple.

Pros

  • Spectacular early-spring flower show on bare branches, before most other trees have even leafed out
  • Small, well-behaved size (20-30ft) that fits easily into smaller yards and under power lines
  • Heart-shaped leaves and interesting seed pods add multi-season interest
  • Supports native bees and other early-season pollinators when few other flowers are available

Cons

  • Has a taproot and does not transplant well once established — site it carefully while young
  • Relatively short-lived for a tree, typically 20-25 years
  • Susceptible to canker and Verticillium wilt, which can kill branches or the whole tree
  • Branches are somewhat brittle and can break in ice or wind storms
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 20 - 30 feet tall. 25 - 35 feet wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 5a - 9b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Colorful Foliage, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Fall Color, Flowering Tree, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Asian Garden, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rain Garden, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Illinois Native, Medium, Medium, Nativar, Native to North America, Normal Soil, Ornamental Tree, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rapid Growth Rate, Shade Tree, Showy Flowers, Small Tree, Specimen, Street Tree, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period April to May
Flower Color Rose-Purple
Foliage Color Purple
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 05/18

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!