''Cercis chinensis'', the Chinese redbud, () is a plant in the legume the family

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to China, where it grows in southern and north-central China and Manchuria.

Description

As a tree, the Chinese

redbud ''Cercis'' is a genus of about 10 species in the subfamily Cercidoideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to warm temperate regions. It contains small deciduous trees or large shrubs commonly known as redbuds. They are characterised by simpl ...

may grow up to tall with a trunk diameter of up to , however, the species is normally found growing in shrub form. The flowers are pink or milky white in color whilst the leaf body is almost circular in shape, in length and tapers to a point at the end. Flowering in April, the Chinese redbud produces fruit in October. The Chinese cercis (Cercis chinensis) Bunge is a native of China and a member of the Fabaceae family, which is extensively dispersed there. Its many parts can be utilized for traditional Chinese medicine, which dates back a long way, in addition to its high beauty value.

Cultivation

Although hardy, in cultivation this plant requires a sheltered spot in a southerly or westerly aspect, with damp well-drained soil. The following

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s have gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

’s

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

(confirmed 2017): *''C. chinensis'' ‘Avondale’ *''C. chinensis'' ‘Don Egolf’

References

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q12955905 chinensis Endemic flora of China Flora of Manchuria Flora of North-Central China Flora of South-Central China Flora of Southeast China Plants described in 1835 Taxa named by Alexander von Bunge