Cercis canadensis 'TRAVELLER' eastern redbud
Cercis
The genus Cercis, commonly known as redbud, includes around ten species of deciduous trees and shrubs native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere – from North America through Southern Europe to Eastern Asia. All species share several distinctive traits: heart-shaped leaves reminiscent of the iconic symbol of love, and early spring flowering, when small blossoms appear directly on bare wood – on branches and trunks, before the leaves emerge. The flowers have the typical shape of legumes, as redbuds belong to the Fabaceae family. In gardens, the most cultivated species are Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud), Cercis siliquastrum (Judas tree), and Cercis chinensis (Chinese redbud), each offering a wide range of cultivars with varying growth habits and foliage colours.
Eastern redbud originates from the eastern regions of North America – from southeastern Canada through the Great Lakes area down to Texas and Florida. The first botanical records of this species date back to the 16th century, when it was described by Spanish and French naturalists. In the 18th century, it reached European botanical gardens, quickly gaining popularity thanks to its early flowering and elegant form. Thomas Jefferson planted it in his gardens at Monticello, and George Washington recommended it for shrubbery plantings. In Native American culture, redbud had practical uses – its flowers were edible, and medicinal infusions were made from its bark. Today, it symbolizes spring and hope and has even become the official state tree of Oklahoma.
Traveller is a gracefully weeping form of eastern redbud, and unlike the smaller, iconic ‘Lavender Twist’, it feels airier, more tree‑like and more elegant in the line of its branches. The crown is softly arching, so the shoots do not collapse into a dense tangle but fall freely, allowing even an older plant to retain lightness and a gentle sense of movement. The deciduous leaves emerge in spring in warm shades of green, sometimes with copper orange hues, soon unfolding into a broadly heart‑shaped form and reaching a medium size for redbuds, usually 7 to 10 cm across. They have a firm, leathery texture and a conspicuously glossy surface, a characteristic feature of the Texas lineage Cercis canadensis var. texensis. Their colour remains stable through summer and the leaves are less prone to wilting in heat. Compared with ‘Lavender Twist’, they are slightly smaller, firmer and noticeably glossier, a quality that stands out even in partial shade.
The eastern redbud is valued for its spring flowering on bare wood, and ‘Traveller’ enhances this effect with its more open crown. The small, pea‑shaped flowers are bright pink with a hint of lilac and form a delicate veil around the branches, giving the tree a light and natural appearance. Tim Brotzman of Brotzman’s Nursery in Ohio noticed the distinct architecture and higher heat tolerance of this form, selected it as a separate cultivar and introduced it in 2003. He named it ‘Traveller’; no official explanation of the name has been published, but given the gently flowing, fluid character of the branches, it is reasonable to assume that it may allude to the impression of movement typical of this Texas lineage.
Like all weeping redbuds, ‘Traveller’ grows naturally with a pendulous habit, so without intervention it never forms a trunk on its own; after a certain length each shoot bends and continues downward unless it is trained. Trees offered for sale are therefore tied to a support at different heights, which in practice determines the near‑final height of the future tree, because above that point new shoots simply arch over. This creates a low, broad, elegantly cascading tree with such dense foliage that it can appear almost shrub‑like in the garden. Anyone wishing for a taller tree must tie the terminal shoot to a higher support as early as possible while it is still soft and flexible; once the training stops, the new terminal bends again and resumes its weeping growth.
Eastern redbud is not particularly demanding when it comes to soil, it will thrive in ordinary garden soil as long as it’s well-drained. However, it performs best in slightly to strongly acidic soil with consistent moisture, though not in boggy conditions. During hot spells in June, we’ve observed occasional scorching of the youngest leaves on plants exposed to full sun without adequate watering. Fortunately, it has proven very resilient – damaged leaves were quickly replaced by new, healthy ones. Young plants benefit from protection against harsh spring sun, which can be surprisingly intense, and from drying winter winds, especially in exposed locations. It dislikes transplanting, this is a tree that settles into its spot and doesn’t appreciate being moved. It can be shaped by pruning while young; later, we recommend trimming only thin branches during dormancy, ideally in late winter before bud break. Its cold hardiness is excellent, commonly rated to -29 °C (USDA zone 5), with some sources suggesting it may survive down to -34 °C (zone 4a), though this remains untested. Container growing is not recommended as it needs space for its roots and a stable microclimate that pots cannot provide.
Last update 12-04-2026
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
