VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Cercis canadensis | Eastern Redbud 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
The wood of eastern redbud is heavy, hard, and close-grained [11,16],
but weak [56].  It is of no commercial value since the trees are rarely
large enough to provide merchantable timber [11].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Eastern redbud seeds or pods are eaten by quail, pheasants [11], other
birds including goldfinch [27], and deer [11].  Birds will open pods on
the tree to get at the seeds [16].  Deer and cattle browse young trees [53].

Eastern redbud occurs in Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) habitat which is
critical to endangered golden-cheeked warblers.  The relationship of
eastern redbud to golden-cheeked warblers was not reported (the warblers
are primarily insectivorous) [32].


PALATABILITY : 
Armstrong [5] lists redbud as moderately preferred browse for
white-tailed deer on the Edwards Plateau, Texas.


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Crude protein, digestibility, and water content were reported for
eastern redbud on untreated plots and plots treated with herbicide and
fire over the course of a growing season [8].


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Eastern redbud was planted on surface mined sites in Indiana between
1928 and 1975 [10].  It is apparently no longer used much for this
purpose.

Eastern redbud was present as a volunteer at a density of 40 stems per
acre on a 30-year-old plantation on a surface mined site in Missouri [57].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Eastern redbud is a popular ornamental [11].  It is listed among trees
useful for xeriscaping (landscaping for minimal water use) [40].  It is
sometimes a valuable source of nectar for honey production [47].  The
flowers may be pickled for use in salads or fried (a common practice in
Mexico).  An astringent fluid extract from redbud bark has been used in
treating dysentery [41].

Eastern redbud is the state tree of Oklahoma [13].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
On southern red oak (Quercus falcata) sites that were clearcut, eastern
redbud increased on plots where flowering dogwood, red maple (Acer
rubrum), and hickory (Carya spp.) were injected with herbicides.  This
increase may be in part due to bird dispersed seed since bird activity
was high in this area [26].

The response of eastern redbud to tebuthiruon or triclopyr treatments
was reported by Stritzke and others [52].  Neither of the herbicides
used resulted in more than 66 percent kill of eastern redbud, and by 2
years after the treatment, canopy cover of all species had increased to
94 percent (plots with no herbicides averaged 175% canopy cover) [52].
Picloram has been reported as effectively suppressing sprouting in
redbud [58].

Eastern redbud is relatively free of serious insect pests and diseases
[15].  It is fed upon by gypsy moth larvae (later stages) only when
preferred species are not available [24].

Eastern redbud is rated as moderately sensitive to ozone damage [25].

Related categories for Species: Cercis canadensis | Eastern Redbud