334 CERCIS 



Whatever transplanting is necessary should be done in May, and not 

 until the expanding buds give some indication that active growth has 

 recommenced. The most insidious enemy of these trees in my experience 

 is the coral-spot fungus, for which drastic surgery is the only remedy ; the 

 affected branches should be cut back to undoubtedly healthy wood, and 

 the wounds thoroughly tarred over. The older and well-known species 

 are propagated by seed, and this, of course, is preferable for all ; but the 

 newer species may be grafted on roots of C. Siliquastrum or C. cana- 

 densis. 



C. CANADENSIS, Linnaus. REDBUD. 



A deciduous tree occasionally over 40 ft. high in a wild state, more often a 

 tall, spreading shrub in cultivation. Leaves broadly heart-shaped, pointed, 

 3 to 5 ins. across, often wider than long ; downy only in the axils of the veins. 

 Flowers pale rose, \ in. long, each on a stalk as long as itself, produced in 

 clusters (fascicles) of four to eight blossoms ; calyx \ in. long, red. Pod about 

 3 ins. long, \ in. wide, pink when fully grown, but rarely seen in this country. 

 Flowers in May and June. 



Native of the eastern and Central United States, in some districts so 

 plentiful as to make a conspicuous feature in the landscape when in flower. 

 Although one of the most beautiful of N. American trees, it is not so striking 

 in this country, and does not bear comparison with C. Siliquastrum for beauty 

 in our gardens. It is quite easily distinguished from that species by its leaves, 

 which are thinner, brighter green, and pointed ; the flowers are not so large. 



Var. ALBA. Flowers white. 



Var, FLORE PLENO. Flowers with some of the stamens transformed into 

 petals. 



Var. >UBESCENS. A variety found wild in the United States, whose leaves 

 are more or less downy all over the under-surface. 



C. CHINENSIS, Bunge. CHINESE REDBUD. 



A tree sometimes 50 ft. high in a wild state, with a trunk 3 to 4 ft. in 

 diameter, but in cultivation merely a shrub. Leaves heart-shaped, pointed, 

 3 to 5 ins. long, nearly or quite as much wide, glossy green, and smooth except 

 for a few hairs beneath in the vein-axils. Flowers in close clusters of four to 

 ten, pink, in. long. Pod 3^ to 5 ins. long, taper-pointed. Blossoms in May. 



Native of China, and probably the largest of the Cercis. It is more tender 

 than either C. Siliquastrum or canadensis, and is quite a failure in the open 

 ground at Kew. It has flowered on a wall, but is evidently a plant better 

 suited for the south-west counties. There is a considerable resemblance 

 between this tree and C. canadensis. Both have pointed, bright green leaves, 

 quite distinct from C. Siliquastrum. C. chinensis is distinguishable out of 

 flower from C. canadensis by its larger, thinner stipules, and by the leaves 

 being glossy green beneath when quite young, those of C. canadensis being 

 duller and more or less glaucous. The adult leaves appear also to be larger ; 

 there are some in the Kew Herbarium, gathered near Pekin, 6^ ins. across. 



C. OCCIDENTALS, A. Gray. WESTERN REDBUD. 



A deciduous stirub, or occasionally a small tree, 15 ft. high. Leaves 

 roundish, heart-shaped, 2 to 3 ins. across, smooth. Flowers \ in. long, rose- 



