{{short description|Species of tree}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Speciesbox |name = Western redbud |image = Cercis occidentalis branch.jpg |genus = Cercis |species = occidentalis |authority = Torr. ex Gray (1850) |range_map = Cercis occidentalis range map 2.png |range_map_caption = Natural range of ''Cercis occidentalis'' |synonyms = *''Cercis californica'' {{small|Torr. ex Benth. (1857)}} *''Cercis latissima'' {{small|Greene (1912)}} *''Cercis nephrophylla'' {{small|Greene (1912)}} *''Siliquastrum occidentale'' {{small|(Torr. ex A.Gray) Greene (1894)}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:52663-2 ''Cercis occidentalis'' Torr. ex A.Gray]. ''Plants of the World Online''. Retrieved 15 August 2023.</ref> }}
'''''Cercis occidentalis''''', the '''western redbud''' or '''California redbud''', is a small tree or shrub in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is found primarily in Oregon and Northern California, with other redbuds of Utah and Arizona typically being the related species ''Cercis orbiculata''.<ref>{{GRIN | accessdate=23 March 2013 }}</ref><ref>[https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CEOR9 USDA: ''Cercis orbiculata''] . accessed 23 March 2013</ref><ref name="POWO_52666-2" >{{cite POWO |id=52666-2 |title=''Cercis orbiculata'' Greene |access-date=13 February 2026 }}</ref>
It is easily recognized when it is in bloom from March to May, when it is covered with small pink to purple flowers.
==Description== ''Cercis occidentalis'' is a deciduous shrub to small tree, growing up to {{Convert|7|m|ft}} tall. The largest individual is in Santa Rosa and is {{Convert|8.8|m|ft}} high. Its crown is rounded on clustered, erect branches to a width of {{Convert|10-20|ft|m}}. The branches are thin, shiny, and brown. Twigs are slender, erect, and hairless.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Stuart |first1=John D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gLt_MZUx7kMC&dq=cercis+occidentalis&pg=PA202 |title=Trees and Shrubs of California |last2=Sawyer |first2=John O. |date=11 June 2001 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-22110-9 |pages=202–203 |language=en }}</ref>
The leaves are arranged alternately along the twigs and are simple, round, and slightly leathery, growing to {{Convert|5-9|cm|in}} in diameter, with {{Convert|12-25|mm|in|adj=on}} petioles. They have heart shaped bases with entire margins. Leaves have 7 to 9 fan-like veins. The upper surfaces of the leaves are dark green, shiny, and hairless, while their lower surfaces are green and hairless.<ref name=":0" /> They start as light green early in the season and darken as they age; on plants at higher elevation, leaves may turn gold or red as the weather cools.<ref name="calpoly">{{cite web |title=Cercis occidentalis Tree Record |url=https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/321 |access-date=7 November 2024 |website=SelecTree |publisher=UFEI |place=Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo }}</ref>
Inflorescences are unbranched and showy with bright pink or magenta flowers. Flowers, described as similar to pea flowers, measure about {{Convert|12|mm|in|adj=}} long and appear before leaves emerge. They grow in clusters all over the shrub, making the plant very colorful and noticeable in the landscape. The fruits are legume pods, {{Convert|4-7.5|cm|in|adj=}} long and about {{Convert|12|mm|in|adj=}} wide, thin and dry, and brown or reddish-purple. The clustered pods persist through winter.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Sudworth |first=George B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OLklqecZ4ocC&dq=cercis+occidentalis&pg=PA367 |title=Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope |date=1908 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=367–368 |language=en }}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud, California Redbud PFAF Plant Database |url=https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cercis+occidentalis |access-date=23 December 2021 |website=pfaf.org }}</ref>
It is an abundant seeder and seeds have a high rate of germination. It endures shade in early life and light shade when mature; shade tolerance appears to be greater with increased soil moisture.<ref name=":1" />
The wood is fine-grained, dark yellowish brown, with a thin layer of whitish sapwood.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sudworth |first=George B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OLklqecZ4ocC&dq=cercis+occidentalis&pg=PA367 |title=Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope |date=1908 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=367–368 |language=en }}</ref>
Compared to the more commonly cultivated ''Cercis canadensis'', it has more rounded leaves and tends to grow as a small shrub rather than a tree, although it does commonly grow as larger trees up to 25 feet tall, particularly in natural settings.<ref name="treesofstanford">{{cite web |title=Cercis canadensis, eastern redbud |website=Trees of Stanford & Environs |date=19 March 2017 |url=https://trees.stanford.edu/ENCYC/CERca.htm |access-date=18 May 2024 }}</ref>
== Habitat == Its native habitats include foothill woodlands and chaparrals; they grow near stream banks in dry foothills and lower canyon slopes below {{Convert|1100|m|ft}}.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> It grows frequently in crevices and pockets where seeds are well covered with mineral soil.<ref name=":1" />
== Ecology == ''Cercis occidentalis'' flowers bloom in spring from February to April. As is the case with other legumes, it is a nitrogen-fixing plant because of the presence of root nodules, allowing symbiotic bacteria to produce nitrogen.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> They grow singly and in shrubby clumps alongside California buckeye, ceanothus, manzanita, and other chaparral brush.<ref name=":1" />
It is noted for attracting birds and other wildlife.<ref name="calpoly" /><ref name=":2" /> The leaves are harvested by native leafcutter bees and the flowers are an important nectar and pollen source for native insects and hummingbirds.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cercis occidentalis |url=https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=18736 |access-date=7 November 2024 |website=ucjeps.berkeley.edu }}</ref>
It can be susceptible to occasional tent caterpillar infestations, but these can be controlled. It is also known to be susceptible to other caterpillars as well as crown rot, phytophthora, root rot, and scales. It is resistant to oak root fungus and armillaria.<ref name="calpoly" />
==Uses== Indigenous Californians use the twigs of the western redbud to weave baskets, and even prune the shrub to encourage growth of new twigs.{{Sfn|Chestnut|1902|p=357}}
It has been described as being worthy of notice for foresters only because of their use in "forming a scanty cover along dry, rocky borders of streams," and the wood has been described as being of no economic or domestic use.<ref name=":1" />
===Cultivation=== ''Cercis occidentalis'' is cultivated as an ornamental plant and tree, for planting in parks and gardens, and as a street tree. It is also used in drought tolerant, native plant, and wildlife gardens.<ref>[http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/cercis-occidentalis Las Pilitas Nursery database — ''Cercis occidentalis'' (Western Redbud)] . accessed 23 March 2013</ref> It is also used as a screen tree.<ref name="calpoly" />
== Cultural significance == ''Cercis occidentalis'' is important to the ethnobotany of multiple native groups, being used in basketry, and has different names in their respective languages. Botanist Victor King Chestnut gave the name for the tree in various north California indigenous languages; according to him, the Yuki call the tree '''''Chā'ā''''', the Koncow call it '''{{lang|mjd|dop}}'''{{Sfn|Chestnut|1902|p=404}} or '''{{lang|mjd|tal'k}}''',{{Sfn|Chestnut|1902|p=408}} the Ukiah (cited as ''Yokia'') call it '''''Kälā' ä kälã'<nowiki/>''''',{{Sfn|Chestnut|1902|p=405}} and it is called '''''Mūlā'''''' in Northern Pomo.{{Sfn|Chestnut|1902|p=406}}
== Images == <gallery> File:California Redbud (7230960646).jpg|Redbud during spring, March 2012 File:Western red bud near Briceburg 2019-04-14.jpg|Western redbud near Briceburg, California April 2019 File:Merced canyon spring 2019.jpg|Redbud, poppies and much more − Merced River canyon March 2019 </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Bibliography == * Casebeer, M. (2004). ''Discover California Shrubs''. Sonora, California: Hooker Press. {{ISBN|0-9665463-1-8}} * {{Cite book |last=Chestnut |first=Victor King |author-link=Victor King Chesnut |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vLkUAAAAYAAJ |title=Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California |publisher=Government Printing Office |year=1902 |series=Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium |volume=VII |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=7 November 2024 |issue=3 }}
==External links== * [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=18736 Jepson Manual Treatment — ''Cercis occidentalis'' (western redbud)] * [http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cercis+occidentalis CalFlora Database: ''Cercis occidentalis''] * [http://www.plantmaps.com/nrm/cercis-occidentalis-california-redbud-native-range-map.php Interactive Distribution Map for ''Cercis occidentalis''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100807064757/http://www.plantmaps.com/nrm/cercis-occidentalis-california-redbud-native-range-map.php |date=7 August 2010 }}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5063945}}
occidentalis Category:Flora of California<!---CA habitats not below---> Category:Flora of Arizona Category:Flora of Nevada Category:Flora of Utah Category:Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Category:Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Category:Garden plants of North America Category:Drought-tolerant plants Category:Ornamental trees Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status Category:Plants described in 1850 Category:Taxa named by Asa Gray