Redbud, Ruby Falls

Ruby Falls Redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls')

Ruby Falls combines a weeping crown with dark purple foliage. It provides a low, cascading focal point rather than the upright outline of most redbuds.

Key Characteristics

A compact, cascading outline

Branches arch downward, so placement should allow their natural shape. Training and graft height influence the finished silhouette.

Spring flowers, then dark foliage

Rosy-purple flowers open before the heart-shaped leaves. Burgundy foliage may become greener later in summer rather than staying uniformly purple.

Choose its permanent home

Plant young and avoid moving the tree after establishment. Freely draining soil and moderate moisture help limit stress.

Flowers and a Smaller Habitat Layer

Spring flowers offer forage to bees, and birds may eat the seeds when pods form. Its low, cascading crown adds cover beneath taller trees. Combine it with other flowering natives to provide resources over a longer season.

Product Details

• Origin: Cultivar of eastern North American redbud
• Plant type: Deciduous perennial tree
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Medium; Medium-Dry
• Mature height: 6–8 feet; training affects the final outline
• Bloom: March–April; Pink, Purple
• Fruit / seed: Flat seed pods; an ornamental selection, not a fruit-tree crop.
• Pollination: No companion needed for its ornamental role.
• Hardiness: USDA zones 5–9

Planting and Ongoing Care

Water the container root ball before planting, check for circling roots, and water thoroughly afterward. Maintain a mulched, grass-free area with mulch clear of the trunk. Use a soil test to guide feeding.

Inspect for cankers and dead twigs. Prune lightly after bloom and remove growth from below the graft rather than shearing the weeping crown.