Carolina Sweetheart® Redbud

It's a good time to be a Redbud tree. Expert plantsmen are bringing incredibly ornamental cultivars of these beloved native trees to market.

They understand you may have a small yard, and must select trees that look great all year-long. Everyone wants more color through blooms and showy foliage. Durability is critical, too.

You can't go wrong with the Carolina Sweetheart® Redbud (Cercis canadensis 'NCCC1'). This svelte version of the native Eastern Redbud stays compact and well-balanced in your landscape.

Like its cousin Redbuds, Carolina Sweetheart puts on an astounding spring-blooming display. The fluorescent purplish-pink, pea-shaped flowers cover all the branches, and can even grow down the length of the tree trunk.

The sweet, sassy blooms are so welcome after the drab days of winter. Best of all, they are a sure sign that you have the entire summer ahead of you.

But...Carolina Sweetheart Redbud has another feature that is just as dramatic. A dynamic set of purple new leaves follows the flowers.

As the leaves age, they'll turn a kaleidoscope of rose, hot Barbie pink, maroon, white, and plenty of green and white variegated. The trees will change from week to week in a color explosion.

So you have nice shape and happy spring bloom, followed by incredible foliage all summer. Those eye-catching leaves hang from long petioles and will play and dance in the wind!

Get yourself a hammock and stand to while away a lazy summer afternoon near the wide-spreading canopy. No need for a book, when you can study the shimmer and sway of the multi-hued leaves in the slightest breeze.

Rely on this amazing tree to grow into the focal point of your landscape design. Complement the foliage with blooming perennials that pick up on the many hues of the bold foliage.

Some trees just "have it" all and Carolina Sweetheart is one of them. Add one or several to your landscape this season. You'll get a professional-grade tree, securely boxed and shipped right to your doorstep.

How to Use Carolina Sweetheart® Redbud in the Landscape

This standout selection commands attention. We recommend giving it a prominent position, so everyone can see it.

Plant them in a long row that runs along the length of your property (even under wires!) Add one at the corner of your house to anchor your foundation planting.

Or, carve out a personal space in your backyard. Create a unique get-away that suits your needs, along with a meandering path to reach it. Allow a Carolina Sweetheart Redbud to become a destination spot in your own "Secret Garden".

They are fanciful enough to shade a child's playhouse. Encourage your young ones imagination with the amazing leaves.

Honestly, they'll jazz up anywhere you place them.

Add more than one in a grouping to give some stylish gravitas behind your patio seating. You'll be tempted to match your outdoor pillows to your trees.

Have a berm, or a slope? Use Carolina Sweetheart as the largest design element, and add plants around it.

If you have a picture window, this is the tree to place as a lawn tree in a mulched planting bed. You'll want to study the fabulous colors curled up on your couch.

Dry the leaves between two paper towels pressed in a heavy book for a few months. When they are dry, arrange them on paper and get them framed to use as special artwork indoors.

#ProPlantTips for Care

Carolina Sweetheart Redbud trees require well-drained soil, but are adaptable to many different types of soil. Be sure to include a pack of Root Booster in your order. It will help your tree access water and micronutrients over its entire lifespan.

They'll need at least four hours of direct sunlight to color their best. In the hottest climates, it will appreciate afternoon shade.

Your tree will need a regular schedule of water, if you don't get enough rainfall. Spread a three-inch layer of mulch on top of the root system to cut down on surface evaporation.Just be sure to pull it away from touching the trunk.

Redbuds are a bit slow to fully leaf out in spring, so please be patient with your young trees. Those multi-colored and variegated leaves worth the wait!

Order your Carolina Sweetheart Redbud today. After all, the man at NC State University who introduced it said, "there is nothing else on the planet like it." High praise, but well-deserved.