Hearts and Flowers

RHS Journals

The Garden 
April 2008

Hearts and Flowers 

Chinese origins

Not all selections hail from America. Cercis chinensis from China is one of the largest species, with big, pointed heart-shaped leaves. It is seldom grown in the UK; plants in the past performed best when wall-trained, to obtain the maximum heat required for good flower production.

However, some of its selections are proving garden worthy grown as freestanding plants. Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’, named after the suburb of Auckland, New Zealand where it was found, was first introduced in 1985 and has become quite freely available. The purplish-pink flowers appear as the leaves unfold, and are slightly larger than others mentioned. They cover the stems, often concealing the branches. Plants are of a shrubby, multistemmed nature, reaching 4m (13ft) tall by as much across. It is great for a hot, dry corner, and could be planted with silvery-leaved plants such as lavenders and phlomis. A similar but smaller, slow-growing sterile selection, ‘Don Egolf’ is also now available in the UK, reaching no more than 3m (10ft) tall and across.

So, thanks to the efforts of nurserymen, Cercis has more to offer than ever. If you need a small tree with dazzling flowers and luxuriant foliage produced on an upright, shrubby or weeping plant, you will find a range, and while some like plenty of summer warmth, others grow in a bit of shade. Judas’ choice of gallows has held this tree back for too long. Cercis has it all – go take your pick.

Queen of hearts

Numbers refer to the photograph above. Material was selected from plants during early June – the colours of some leaves gradually change as they mature.

1 Cercis canadensis Lavender Twist ('Covey')
2 C. chinensis ‘Avondale’
3 C. canadensis var. texensis ‘Oklahoma’
4 C. canadensis ‘Hearts of Gold’
5 C. canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
6 C. canadensis ‘Ace of Hearts’
7 C. canadensis ‘Appalachian Red’
8 C. canadensis ‘Bloodspot’
9 C. canadensis ‘Floating Clouds’
10 C. canadensis f. alba
11 C. canadensis ‘Little Woody’
12 C. canadensis ‘Cascading Hearts’

Suppliers 

Suppliers who offer a good range of Cercis include:

Elm Nursery/Commercial Nursery , Sutton Green Road, Sutton Green, Guildford, Surrey GU4 7QD. Tel: 01483 420048

PMA Plant Specialities, Somerset: 01823 480774

Larch Cottage Nurseries, Cumbria: 01931 712404

Goscote Nurseries, Leicestershire: 01509 812121



With thanks to Chris Hiscock of Commercial Nursery, Surrey, for supplying plant material

Phil Clayton is Features Editor for The Garden