Judas Flower. 
(UNBELIEF.) 
T HE botanical name of the Judas-tree is from the Greek, 
and signifies a little sheath ; but the more ominous title, 
by which it is known to the English, Germans, and French, is 
derived from the supposition that Judas hanged himself upon 
it, although Gerarde and other ancient writers on sylvan sub¬ 
jects assign that ghastly association to the elder. 
In one portion of the wild Arabian epic of “ Antar,” one of 
its heroes, named Shedad, is compared to the flower of the 
Judas-tree, “so completely was he smeared with the blood of 
the combatants.” 
The blossoms of the European variety of this tree are of a 
very beautiful bright purple, and come out in spring in large 
clusters on every side of the branches, and often of the stem, 
and are in full blow before the leaves have attained half their 
size. The North American Judas-tree is called “ red-bud tree,” 
from the red flower buds appearing in the spring before the 
leaves. 
On account of the beauty of its flowers, the Spaniards call 
this plant “ the tree of love,” and certainly that designation 
accords well with the exquisitely pathetic legend of “The 
Wayside Inn,” with which the late Adelaide Procter, Barry 
Cornwall’s gifted daughter, has enwoven it : 
“A little past the village 
The inn stood, low and white; 
Green shady trees behind it, 
And an orchard on the right, 
Where over the green paling 
The red-cheeked apples hung. 
As if to watch how wearily 
The sign-board creaked and swung. 
“The heavy-laden branches 
Over the road hung low. 
Reflected fruit or blossom 
From the wayside well below, 
Where children, drawing water, 
Looked up and paused to see. 
Amid the apple-branches, 
A purple Judas-tree.” 
Here at this quiet wayside inn lived little Maurice, whose 
