Cercis gigantea seed
LATIN NAME: CERCIS GIGANTEA
COMMON NAME: Giant Redbud
The giant redbud fans the broad, deciduous tree with the large, rounded, heart-shaped leaves and the clusters of the small, pinkish-purple, pea-like flowers that fan along the bare branches and the trunk through the early spring, the flowers opening before the leaves, the flat, brown seedpods following through the summer. The tree grows quickly into the broad, rounded crown, and it stands the cold and the dry spells well. It likes the sun or the light shade, and the well-drained soil.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The trunk flowers of the giant redbud give it a recognised place in the research on the early-flowering Asian redbuds of the great pea family, and the gigantea species appears in the studies of the ornamental woodland trees and the old-wood bloom. The work looks at the way the pinkish-purple clusters fan along the bare branches, the nitrogen-rich habit, and the seed biology. The horticulturists value the early display, and the growers of the specimen and early-spring garden trees keep the species in their catalogues.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the early-spring garden, the giant redbud fans the spring garden with the trunk flowers. The pinkish-purple flowers open along the bare branches, the flat pods follow through the summer, and the tree makes the fine specimen. It grows well in the well-drained, sunny or lightly shaded ground. Pink-trunked, heart-leaved and early-blooming.
To grow the Giant Redbud from seed, pour hot water over the seeds and let them cool overnight.
Pour hot water over the seeds and let them cool overnight, and give the young trees the open, sunny spot. The fan flowers come through the early spring. , then sow them in gritty drills in the spring, cover them lightly, keep the drills gently watered, and the young trees germinate happily. The fan flowers will pink the early spring.
Like many of the Redbud species, this one has a rounded form and medium growth rate to about 20′. What makes gigantea stand out from the rest is its foliage; huge, 6-8″+, heart shaped leaves!
It has early spring flowers in pale purplish pink color and golden foliage in fall.
Medicinal use of Redbud: A tea made from the inner bark is highly astringent. Used in the treatment of fevers, diarrhea and dysentery, it is also a folk remedy for leukemia. A cold infusion of the roots and inner bark have been used to treat various chest complaints including whooping cough and congestion .
Edible parts of Redbud: Flowers – raw or pickled. A nice refreshing acid taste, the flowers are rich in vitamin C and make a pleasant addition to salads. They can also be used as a condiment. The unopened buds are pickled or used as a caper substitute.
Other uses : The bark of young shoots is used in basket making.