Cercis canadensis 'JN2' RISING SUN™

Eastern redbud is a lovely, deciduous, small tree or a large shrub where the word “love” is the key feature. Why? Because its leaves are in a perfect shape of a heart that we are used to drawing as an icon. There are quite a few varieties in trade today and they vary by leaf colour or plant habit or size. I am sure you can find a variety suitable for your garden.

RISING SUN™ is an American variety of Eastern redbud found by Ray and Cindy Jackson for their Jackson Nursery in Belvidere, Tennessee, as a chance seedling. It boasts large, 10-14 cm long and wide, broadly heart-shaped leaves which emerge bright golden or orange while older leaves are bright yellow-green and chartreuse. They are deciduous and in autumn they turn rich ruby red and yellow. In early spring appear small, pea-like, pink, stalk-less flowers in small clusters growing on bare wood. US plant patent No. PP21451 was granted in 2010.

It grows fast and forms a rounded habit with almost uniformly layered branches making attractive tiers one above another. Young twigs can be pruned if you wish to prune the plant or to keep it smaller. However, do not cut into old wood – badly treated cuts may be infected and the plant may die.

Eastern redbud is relatively soil tolerant but does best in moist but well-drained soil. RISING SUN™ copes well with drought and its leaves don’t suffer from sunscorch. It resents transplanting. For the best foliage colour grow it in full sun, young plants benefit from some shelter from drying winds. It is hardy to min. -29 °C (USDA zone 5), possibly yet a few degrees lower.

Last update 11-11-2021