Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mdo003

Silver cloud redbud shade needs

mdo003
9 years ago

I think our ace of hearts redbud died over the winter and I want to replace it, I saw this redbud looks nice and is supposed to be more winter hardy, read at a nursery site though it burns easily and needs shade and can be hard to get established- anyone have experience with them? the area I would put it in would have full sun in the morning then would probably be shaded by the house after about 1 or 2 pm would that be enough?

Comments (2)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    all white tissue is a net drain on the plant... it doesnt photosynthesize ... and not being green.. it has no sun block.. for lack of a better word .. and if the tree transpires.. sweats... thru its leaves... white losses more water ...

    so to protect it from a blistering sunburn.. in the heat of summer ... you would try to site it.. so it is out of direct sun .. in the high heat of the day ... while still getting the maximum sunlight possible a tree as such needs ...

    redbud in general.. is shade tolerant.. the green ones do just fine in full sun ... but tolerate a shade canopy ... presuming its not cave like ... they dont grow as fast in the shade .. but nothing dies in shade.. due to the shade only ...

    this white edged one... with lets say.. half the leaves white.. needs as much useful light as possible due to having half the chlorophyll of a regular tree ... but not so much sun/light.. that the white tissue crisps and browns in late summer... and it will until it is fully established ...

    and do keep in mind.. every plant has a season .. the redbud in spring with its early flowers... and with this one.. in early summer.. until it starts looking ratty ... but i say.. so what... by early fall.. i wouldnt care if it was a bit crispy ... i enjoyed it in its proper season ... just like my tri color beech ...

    your siting.. as much as words can explain shade.. seems about right ..

    BTW ... though i have many regular redbuds... i have lost both the foo foo versions i have tried.. I THINK ... the edged varieties are very borderline z5 ... depending where you are ... z5 really doesnt tell us much.. as it covers about half the US ... it might be an issue of night temps... when a plant can recover from the onslaught of the day ... that might make the difference ...

    hope i didnt bore you with a little learning .... good luck

    ken

  • hairmetal4ever
    9 years ago

    Eastern Redbud seems to have a lot of variability in hardiness - more northern seed sources (OH, PA, etc) being hardier than more southern.

    So, a seedgrown species redbud, if grown from seed from the northern part of the range, should be z5 hardy. Most of the selected cultivars, however, seem to be from more southern seed provenance, probably due to most of the research and selection of new cultivars seeming to come from more southerly areas.

    In my area most do OK, but in my old Ohio garden, which was zone 5/6 depending who you'd ask, 'Forest Pansy' would winterkill entirely, yet the species trees not only survived, but bloomed after harsh winters.