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Rising Sun Redbud Trees for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

  • Rising Sun Redbud Tree
  • Rising Sun Redbud Tree Up close
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Cercis Canadensis 'JN2'

Rising sun redbud, called Cercis Canadensis 'JN2' in the botanical community, takes the beauty of a typical redbud to a whole new level. Not only does this tree feature the iconic purple flowers that make redbuds popular, but its leaves can be equally impressive. The rising sun redbud’s leaves hold multiple hues throughout the growing season. At the outermost part of the canopy, you'll find leaves that are gold and red. This tree also has a neat shape and usually shows an admirable resistance to drought conditions. 

  • Outer leaves show impressive colors like light green, gold, and red.
  • Takes on a neat symmetrical overall form.
  • Often more heat- and drought-tolerant than other redbud varieties.
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Plant Care

Sunlight

p-care-1

Four hours or more of sunlight per day.

Watering

p-care-2

Water twice per week during establishment. Reduce to once per week after.

Fertilizing

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Use a balanced fertilizer blend in the early spring, and repeat the application in the late spring.

Planting and Care

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by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on February 22, 2022

Planting instructions

Plant rising sun redbud so it can receive either full or partial sunlight each day. A minimum of four hours is necessary for the best growth. While this tree is smaller than its relative, the eastern redbud, the rising sun redbud still needs room to expand. Plant this species where it has room to grow to its mature width of 8 feet. Provide plenty of water after planting to maintain soil moisture. A healthy layer of organic mulch will also help to keep the soil as moist as it needs to be.

Watering and nutrients

The soil for a rising sun redbud should remain moist, but you should not allow it to become overly wet. Still, you’ll need to provide water fairly often for this tree. After planting, water your rising sun redbud deeply twice per week. Once it’s established, reduce water to once per week. Fertilization needs are comparatively low for the rising sun redbud. Two applications each year is usually enough to encourage growth. A well-balanced, all-purpose fertilizer will be sufficient.

Pruning

Prune your rising sun redbud in the late spring or early summer. The important thing to remember is that you should always prune this tree after flowering so that you don’t risk cutting off any of the blooms. The growth habit of rising sun redbud is relatively uniform, meaning that you won’t need to spend time developing a pleasing shape through your pruning. Instead, all you need to do is remove any diseased, damaged, or dead branches.

Pests, diseases, and animals

As is the case for a standard eastern redbud, the rising sun redbud can fall victim to several diseases and infestations. The most prevalent issue is canker, but several other afflictions can also befall this plant. Blight, leaf spots and mildew are all common problems. Borers, beetles, and leafhoppers can also harm rising sun redbud. The good news is that rising sun redbud is deer-resistant, so you won’t need to worry about browsing.

Achieving maximum results

Getting the most out of your rising sun redbud is a matter of proper planting and care. One of the most vital elements in that process is mulching. A thick layer of mulch will help prevent soil moisture loss and eventually break down into organic nutrients for your plant to consume. Some redbuds also develop a deep taproot. For that reason, it is helpful to water deeply rather than in small amounts. A thorough watering ensures the taproot receives the water it needs.

FAQs

Does the rising sun redbud have good fall color?

What you're likely to notice first about rising sun redbud is that it has unique leaf colors all year. Many of this tree's leaves are green, but others show more striking colors. Throughout the summer, this plant continues to put forth new foliage that is often red or gold. This continual growth creates an impressive color-shifting effect throughout the seasons. In fall, the foliage is impressive as well as it takes on a red, yellow, or orange shade.

Where does rising sun redbud come from?

The emergence of the rising sun redbud is somewhat of a mystery. The first appearance of this tree was in Belvidere, Tennessee, at Jackson Nursery in 2006. What's most interesting about this variety's origin story is that no one knows the specific parent cultivars that produced it. Despite that lack of clarity, this tree has grown in popularity and now grows in gardens throughout many different parts of the country.

In what regions can rising sun redbud grow?

Rising sun redbud grows in hardiness zones 5 through 9. That wide range allows this plant to survive in most parts of the continental United States. The popularity of this plant's visual characteristics has also helped it spread over a broad geographical region. Today, rising sun redbud grows in gardens on both coasts and most of the southern, midwestern, and southwestern regions of the country.

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous
Verified Buyer April 19, 2021 at 2:23pm
ratingPleased

Easy, fast and good quality tree.

Anonymous
Verified Buyer June 20, 2020 at 5:13pm
ratingEastern Rising Sun Redbud

Have two of these and after getting rooted they are now growing and look amazing. Make sure to really water them at the beginning month or two and then they started taking off. Very happy with all our trees from there.

Anonymous
Verified Buyer May 16, 2020 at 4:57pm
ratingA lovey redbud

This is a beautiful addition to my backyard tree sanctuary. I paired it with the flamethrower redbud to give light shade to my patio. The leaves on both are extraordinary!

Mature height
8-12 ft.
Mature width
6-8 ft.
Sunlight requirement
Part Sun (4 hours minimum) or Full Sun  
Growth rate
Moderate
Botanical name
Cercis Canadensis 'JN2'
Shipping exclusions
AZ,OR
Grows Well In Zones
5-9
map
Growing Zones: 5-9 i Growing zones help determine if a particular plant is likely to grow well in a location. It identifies the average annual minimum winter temperatures across the U.S. provided as a map by the USDA.
(hardy down to -10°F)

Rising Sun Redbud Trees

Cercis Canadensis 'JN2'
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