I’m bittersweet, (my feelings that is).
One of my first kids was a Cercis canadensis.
I have had him for three years now, every year he is more glorious than the last.
May came, and yet no blooms. “Odd” I thought.
But then no leaves, he just sat there, looking dead.
But then finally, something started to happen.
The leaf buds started swelling, (I was very worried).
But wait, what was this, they were coming from the trunk, not the branches.
I am glad (sorry) to learn that I am not the only one. Linda from Each Little World, had the same problem with her Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’. At least mine, is the old cheap one!.
In her post, Linda recommends waiting until after the fourth of July to see how much growth will come back.
Being a true Canadian, I thought I would pick Canada Day, July 1st.
Here is how he looked:
You can see how much new growth there is.
I gave him a prune.
Ahhh, a haircut makes all the difference.
If you would like to see how Linda’s Cercis turned out, please visit her here.
I am a floral designer living in a tiny condo in downtown Toronto, Canada's largest city. But on the weekend, I am a gardener/frustrated architect trying to keep up with a 3/4 acre garden in Owen Sound, Ontario, a warm (to Canadians, Zone 5b, and a cold (to Americans, Zone 4b) garden.
Green Theatre 
heather @ what's blooming this week said,
July 12, 2010 @ 6:49 AM
Patience is a virtue that paid off this time. Your Cercis looks like it has a new leaf on life (pun intended)
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 9:18 AM
Ha Ha, you are quite the punster Heather. I was really happy to see it had not given up the ghost.
gardeningasylum said,
July 12, 2010 @ 7:30 AM
That’s a very good haircut – my local nursery guru in Connecticut won’t sell any redbud, native or not, calling them deadbuds! I have one anyway and am thankful for every spring it does come back 🙂
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 9:20 AM
Oooooh, I have not hear that one Cyndy. I thought that they were fairly tough as they are a native. Hope it doesn’t happen again.
Curbstone Valley Farm said,
July 12, 2010 @ 11:38 AM
How interesting. I didn’t realize Redbuds were prone to this. With the hair cut though, you’d never know how bleak things looked for this tree in spring. Hopefully all will be well from now on.
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 9:20 AM
I am shocked at how fast it regrew, although the branches are very soft.
Barbara H. said,
July 12, 2010 @ 12:21 PM
So glad yours made a comeback, too!
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 9:21 AM
Me too, Barbara.
Marguerite said,
July 12, 2010 @ 12:36 PM
Any idea what caused this? I’m having a similar trouble with a large maple – and it’s not possible to give the big guy a haircut!
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 9:57 PM
Do not have a clue. Someone asked me if it was possible to the very warm April we had, with a severe cold snap in May. Hope your maple bounces back.
debsgarden said,
July 12, 2010 @ 3:01 PM
Your tree looks fine now! I’m glad it survived, and I hope it continues to prosper. Do you think the cold winter is what happened to your redbud? Redbuds do well here in my much warmer climate.
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 9:58 PM
Deborah, we are right at the very, very top of where the redbud should grow, I am probably practicing a bit of zonal denial, but I do love them.
teza said,
July 12, 2010 @ 5:03 PM
D:
Ah yes, the ubiquitous Redbud…. and no, don’t ever lower oneself to call it a deadbud! They are like the petulent child that resides within every family. [You’re talking to the one in my family!]
I watched a potted selection, if similar size to yours pout and, well, look dead for the better part of three months here at the nursery…. and then, what to my wandering eyes should appear….. the lovely pink flowers, followed weeks later by a sudden flush of gorgeous larger than typical heart shaped foliage.
Patience dearheart is a necessity when it comes to this charmer! Keep me posted to its development…..
Cheers
B
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 10:00 PM
Oh T, wish I knew this before I gave it a haircut! My leaves are much larger than normal as well,do you think I have a bit of zonal denial.
Rebecca @ In The Garden said,
July 12, 2010 @ 5:13 PM
Interesting post Deborah, I have had a few shrubs do this to me this year, and my Crimson King maple has some non-growing branches (I won’t declare them dead until next year!). Your little guy looks great, the haircut made a wonderful difference. 🙂
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 10:00 PM
It did, Rebecca, I am much happier with it now. Hopefully it will flower next year.
The Idiot Gardener said,
July 13, 2010 @ 8:19 AM
Plants are weird, they really are. You should have planned to rip it out; then it would have started growing!
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 10:02 PM
Nothing like a bit of a threat to make them shape up! Is that what Mrs IG does to you?
Laurrie said,
July 13, 2010 @ 8:43 AM
Redbuds get a lot of diseases, the most common is canker which causes dieback, which certainly looks like your poor redbud’s malady. It’s a fungus, and there’s no cure, except to cut off the dead branches as you did. When you pruned did you see the wounds / cankers on the branches (cracked bark with dead wood beneath)? Make sure to cut off any branch with that kind of crack, even if it’s one of the leafing branches. It’s the only control.
They are such pretty trees, and I have three different ones planted, even though I know they are kind of short lived, and disease prone. But they are so worth it!
kilbournegrove said,
July 13, 2010 @ 10:03 PM
I did not notice Laurie, but I still have the (dead) branches, and I will take a look. They are worth it! Thanks for the info.
jen said,
July 13, 2010 @ 11:02 PM
So do you think that it is winter kill? Poor baby. At least there is some growth coming back.
Jen
kilbournegrove said,
July 15, 2010 @ 7:35 PM
Jen, I hope that it is due to the weird weather we had in April and May. But it is growing quite fast, yay!