This unusually beautiful tree of cercis (Cercis) belongs to the genus deciduous, a family of legumes. There are seven species in this genus - two of them grow in China (Chinese and cyst), two - in the Mediterranean, in Altai in Afghanistan and Iran (European and Griffith), three representatives of the family come from North America. In natural conditions, the tree reaches a height of up to 30 meters. The last three species are quite cold-resistant, therefore they are successfully grown in some regions of our country.
Why is the tree so called?
Probably, many are interested in why the plant was so named. Cercis, the crimson, or the Judah tree is called so because, according to one legend, the repentant Judas on this tree brought the scores to life. True, different peoples have their own version of this story, while the trees in it are very different - aspen, elderberry, birch, mountain ash. But for some reason, it was precisely tsercis that was nicknamed that way - the Judah tree.
Tree features
Cercis has heart-shaped, slightly rounded leaves. They are green above, smooth, and the lower side is bluish. Young leaves that have just appeared have a reddish tint, which changes to light yellow in autumn. First, flowers appear on the tree, and only then - leaves. The flowers are stored on the tree for twenty days, by this time the leaves have already opened. Flowers of extraordinary beauty - delicate, can be painted in a light lilac or more saturated shade. They have a standard bean shape.
The Judean tree, the photo of which is presented in this article, has a fruit - a brownish flat bean about 10 cm long. They last on the tree for up to two years.
Cercissus canadian
Has quite small lilac flowers. But there are so many of them that they are simply strewn with branches. They are collected in inflorescences, which number up to 8 flowers. It is characteristic of this tree that flowers appear even on thick and old trunks, thanks to which it looks very impressive. Terry and white-flowered varieties of Canadian cercis exist.
This tree is quite hardy, and therefore successfully grown in the south of our country, up to the Voronezh region. A little north (in the region of Lipetsk) this species freezes, and therefore it blooms not too abundantly. Well, in the Pomoskovye Judah tree, the photo of which you see in this article, is unlikely to reach its full splendor.
Cercis european
This is a southern species that does not differ in frost resistance, therefore it is widespread only on the Black Sea coast. The flowers are quite large (up to 2.5 cm). They appear as if from a bark that covers branches. There is a white-flowered form of this species.
In landscape design, cercis (or the Judean tree) is perfectly combined with bird cherry, bobovnik, coniferous plants, cherries, and decoratively flowering shrubs.
Scarlet Japanese
In the homeland, scarlet Japanese is called Katsura. An ancient legend says that one Chinese monk learned the secret of eternal youth. He felt invulnerable and immortal. According to him, this gave him the right to commit the most terrible crimes. For his actions he was sentenced to exile on the moon. Before reaching her, the monk broke and fell to the top of the Katsura tree. Since then, it has become the embodiment of an impossible or unattainable dream.
Scarlet, or Judah tree, is used as a decorative-deciduous species; it has a bright shade of heart-shaped leaves. This color becomes especially saturated in the fall, when the tree is painted with crimson and yellow colors and looks truly magnificent. Very bright brown-carmine shoots give it a special originality.
Today, Japanese scarlet, or the Judean tree, is quite widespread and very popular in Europe, where it was first imported in 1880. Later, new decorative forms appeared - Rotfusch with a funnel-shaped narrow crown and gray, highly wrinkled foliage, Pendulum with weeping branches and others.
Growing in Russia
In the Moscow Botanical Garden, the Judean tree reaches 7 m in height. In St. Petersburg you can even find magnificent scarlet, which tolerates the cold worse than other species.
This tree loves light. But at the same time it is able to live in partial shade. Prefers the north side and the place protected from winds. The tree should be planted in early spring, so that it takes root before the onset of cold weather. Scarlet soil is unpretentious to soils, but most of all it is slightly acidic loam or sandy loam. The soil should be light in structure, this will allow the root system to develop freely. Numerous surface roots add to the tree's wind resistance. Crimson is not very fond of transplanting, this is due to the fact that the plant has a core root.
Crimson loves moisture. It does not tolerate extreme heat; during a drought, it often drops leaves. Perfectly takes root at ponds along the banks of rivers. Landing area should be well-drained, not have high groundwater.
Judah Tree: Breeding
Propagated by cercis seeds. They are difficult to germinate and require scarification. To break the seed cover, use concentrated sulfuric acid for 30 minutes or the seeds are soaked in warm water, and then stratification is carried out in cool conditions - at a temperature of +3 +4 degrees for two months.
Shoots appear and develop very slowly. In addition, by the end of the first year of life, the seedlings, as a rule, die off the aerial part, which is the norm. Next year, new shoots will appear from sleeping buds, but they will also die in the fall. Only in the third year the shoots will remain overwinter. This unusual development is due to the fact that cercis primarily develops the root system, and only then - the ground part. In nature, this tree grows in dry places, so it does not waste moisture in vain, as long as it does not have many roots.
It is possible to propagate using layering and cuttings. Shoots for this are cut in the winter.