General Culture:

Easily grown in deep, moderately fertile, medium moisture, well-drained loams in full sun to light shade. Avoid wet soils. Sun-dappled or light shade is best in hot summer climates. Performs best with regular and consistent moisture. Avoid wet or poorly drained soils. Since this tree does not transplant well, it should be planted when young and left undisturbed.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Cercis canadensis (see H550 herein) is the common redbud tree that is native to eastern and central North America including Missouri. It features a spectacular bloom of pink purple flowers in spring. It is a slow-growing tree that rises to 20-30’ tall over time, but is also sometimes seen as a tall multi-stemmed shrub. ‘Royal White’ is a white-flowered cultivar noted for its pure white flowers. Tiny, pea-like, white flowers bloom in clusters for 2-3 weeks in early spring (April) before the foliage emerges. Flowers give way to flattened seed pods (2-4” long) that appear in mid-summer. Heart-shaped leaves (3-5” long) with pointed tips emerge green in spring, mature to a dull, dark blue-green and finally turn yellow in fall. ‘Royal White’ was discovered in 1940 by Royal Oakes of Bluffs, Illinois, as a seedling from a native tree. It is uncommonly found in commerce. The more common white redbud found in commerce is C. canadensis f. alba. In comparison to C. canadensis f. alba, ‘Royal White’ is a more compact tree, blooms earlier, is more floriferous and produces larger flowers. ‘Royal White’ is synonymous with and sometimes called ‘Royal’.