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Characteristics
 Family-
Fabaceae--The Legume Family
- Origin
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Native NC
- Plant Description
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Deciduous tree to 30 feet, leaves alternate, heart shaped, with smooth margins; flowers in March to April before the leaves, magenta pink, pea-like; fruits mature late summer, brown, beanpod-like.
- Ornamental Characteristics
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Beautiful small tree, excellent magenta-pink flowers in early spring, good yellow fall color.
- Landscape Use
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Small, specimen tree.
- Horticultural Cultivars
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'Forest Pansy' with deep maroon new leaves; 'Olkahoma' with deep pink flowers, superior variety (or separate species); white flowered cultivars such as 'Alba', 'Texas White'. Cultivars have not been tested for coastal conditions.
- Availability/Propagation
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Widely available in nurseries. There is a need to propagate coastal ecotypes for use in coastal landscaping.
- Culture
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Full sun to light shade, moist to dry soils, good in urban soils.
- Coastal Ecology
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Redbud is not a natural component of the maritime forest, but due to its use in landscaping and subsequent naturalization, one can observe redbuds growing successfully on the barrier islands where they are exposed to light salt spray and moderate winds. Large trees have been observed in Salter Path and Beaufort, with a typical coastal "wind sheared" appearance.
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