Avondale Redbud Tree

Avondale Chinese redbud is a deciduous small tree or large shrub with dense clusters of rosy purple-pink flowers on bare branches. Glossy, heart-shaped leaves emerge after flowering and provide a green summer canopy. Oregon State University traces this named selection to Avondale, Auckland, and the Royal Horticultural Society recognizes Cercis chinensis 'Avondale' as an accepted cultivar ([Oregon State University](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/cercis-chinensis-avondale); [RHS](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/62222/cercis-chinensis-avondale/details)). ## Form and flowering The plant is usually multi-stemmed and rounded, with dark, leathery leaves. The RHS gives a mature height of 2.5–4 m and spread of 1.5–2.5 m; Ashwood Nurseries reports 2.5 m by 2 m at ten years; a North American nursery lists 12 ft tall by 10 ft wide. These published figures vary, so allow room for a small tree rather than treating one size as a guarantee. Flowers open before the leaves in spring. ## Placement Grow in full sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. Use it as a spring-flowering specimen or in an informal shrub border. The RHS lists chalk, clay, loam, and sandy soils where drainage is suitable. Oregon State University reports USDA Zone 6, while the North American nursery lists Zones 5–9; RHS hardiness ratings refer to UK conditions and are not USDA zones. ## Maintenance Prune after flowering if shaping is needed, as recommended by [Ashwood Nurseries](https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/product/cercis-chinensis-avondale/). See the exact-selection listings from [Garden Gate Nursery](https://www.gardengatetrees.com/catalog/cercis-chinensis-avondale) and [Ashwood Nurseries](https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/product/cercis-chinensis-avondale/) for sizing and pruning details. Avoid waterlogged sites, and water during establishment and extended dry weather.