Western Redbud Better Choice for Desert Landscapes

Q. You mentioned Western Redbud as a better choice for landscapes in the Mojave Desert than Eastern Redbud. You warned me it might be hard to find, and you were right. What’s so special about Western Redbud when compared with Eastern Redbud?

A. Eastern Redbud can be found as a native tree growing from the southeastern United States from Northern Florida up into Canada. Western Redbud has a more limited range, growing as a native in dry, desert regions of southern California, Southern Nevada, southern Utah and stretching into Arizona and Mexico. Sometimes the nursery trade doesn’t differentiate between these two trees and calls Eastern Redbud, just simply Redbud. So, it gets confusing.

One example, and it's not a particularly good example, of Western Redbud growing at the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas Nevada. In my opinion this is an extremely underused plant considering how many red bites planted of the Eastern kind.

            But there are major differences between the two, not so much in looks but how they perform in dry desert landscapes. The Western Redbud, sometimes called California Redbud or Arizona Redbud in the nursery trade, is more tolerant of our alkaline soils and high temperatures. It can also handle the heat better than the Eastern Redbud. It is a better choice for desert landscapes in the Southwest.

These are the leaves of an Eastern Redbud sent to me by a reader wondering why the leaves look like this. Eastern Redbud is not drought tolerant or salt tolerant to our alkaline soils.

            You will probably have to search online for Western Redbud but also include the names California Redbud and Arizona Redbud in your search. They are basically the same tree.

If you're not careful, Eastern Redbud can be a little difficult to establish in desert landscaping. It may look pretty after its first planted but then some problems may develop because of our alkaline soils and droughty conditions.

            Some landscapers say they have better luck with Eastern Redbud, but I think it’s because the Western Redbud is watered too often. It is more drought and heat tolerant than Eastern Redbud. Western Redbud is better adapted to our soils and climate. You might try looking at the Nevada State Forest Nursery located atFloyd Lamb State Park and see if it’s in their inventory.