Wherever they are found, redbuds (Cercis) are cherished for their cheerful spring flowers in shades of pink and white and their distinctive heart-shaped leaves.
Easy to identify with its short trunk and spreading branches, the redbud can reach to over 30 feet tall.
'Kay's Early Hope' - by the JC Raulston Arboretum
One of the newest redbud introductions is from the JC Raulston Arboretum, home to one of the most comprehensive collections of Cercis in North America. ‘Kay’s Early Hope’ honors the memory of NC State Women’s Basketball Coach Kay Yow. It’s an appropriate name for an exceptional plant that ushers in spring and “March Madness” with a floral display of lavender-pink flowers that never gives up from early March through the end of April.