Siliquastrum occidentale(Torr. ex A.Gray) Greene (1894)
Cercis occidentalis, the western redbud or California redbud (syn. Cercis orbiculata — Greene), is a small tree or shrub in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is found primarily in Northern California, with other populations in parts of Utah and Arizona.[2][3]
It is easily recognized when it is in bloom from March to May, when it is covered with small pink to purple flowers.
Description
Cercis occidentalis has thin, shiny brown branches that bear shiny heart-shaped leaves which are light green early in the season and darken as they age. Leaves on plants at higher elevation may turn gold or red as the weather cools. Compared to the more commonly cultivated Cercis canadensis, it has more rounded leaves and tends to grow as a small shrub rather than a tree, although it does commonly grow as larger trees up to 25 feet tall, particularly in natural settings.[4][5]
The showy flowers are bright pink or magenta, and they grow in clusters all over the shrub, making the plant very colorful and noticeable in the landscape. The shrub bears 3-inch-long brown legume pods which are very thin and dry. Its native habitats include dry slopes and foothills of canyons below 1,100 metres (3,600 ft).[6]