Cercis siliquastrum

This is a deciduous tree and it is in the early part of the year that it really makes its presence known when the pink flowers start to emerge from the bare branches and even the trunk. Any part of the tree more than a year old, can carry dense clusters of the pea shaped flowers. These are edible, tasting both sweet and tart, and are often added to spring salads, fried or used in savoury dishes.

The leaves can be quite broad, up to 10cm across and are delightfully heart shaped, mid-green above and softly silver beneath. Then in autumn they turn a lovely, red-tinged yellow and gold before falling, fully exposing the long, dangling seed pods. These have started green in early summer, then become tinged with reds and purples before fading to a soft brown and remaining on the trees throughout the autumn and winter months. The name Cercis derives from ‘kerkis’ the Greek word for shuttle, and siliquastrum from ‘siliqua’ meaning pod, since these pods are supposed to resemble weavers’ shuttles.

Cercis siliquastrum can reach 8m in both height and breadth. Generally, it only requires pruning for health reasons, (removal of dead, diseased or crossing branches), and it is best to do this immediately after flowering to avoid removing the following year’s blooms. It can be pruned quite hard and is often used as a street tree in southern Mediterranean towns since it is remarkably tolerant of pollution, is deep rooted and so can thrive even in dry compacted soils.

The legend of the Judas Tree is commonly derived from the belief that this was the tree from which Judas Iscariot hung himself in shame after his betrayal of Jesus Christ. The flowers were then supposed to have turned from white to red either in shame or having been stained by Judas’ blood. The silvery reverse on the leaves was also thought to resemble the thirty pieces of silver. The tree is indeed widespread in northern and central Israel, and the name could also be a corruption of the French ‘Arbre de Judee’.