Oklahoma State Tree: Redbud

Oklahoma's official state tree is the Redbud, also called Eastern Redbud. This small deciduous tree grows 20 to 30 feet tall in Oklahoma, rarely exceeding 35 feet. The trunk measures six to twelve inches in diameter on mature trees. Redbud grows at a moderate pace, adding 12 to 18 inches per year in favorable conditions. The tree typically lives 50 to 70 years in Oklahoma. Unlike many state trees valued for timber, redbud's importance lies in its ornamental beauty and symbolic significance. The wood has no commercial value and the tree is too small for lumber. Yet redbud earned state tree status because its brilliant spring blooms create one of Oklahoma's most anticipated natural events each year.

The flowers provide the tree's main attraction and give redbud its common name. Small pink to purple pea-like flowers appear in dense clusters directly on branches and even the trunk before leaves emerge. This unusual flowering pattern, called cauliflory, makes blooming redbuds especially dramatic. The flowers measure about half an inch long and cover branches so densely they hide the bark. Individual trees show color variations from deep magenta to light pink. The blooming period lasts two to three weeks in March and April depending on weather. After flowering, heart-shaped leaves emerge, measuring three to five inches across. The leaves appear glossy dark green in summer and turn yellow in fall before dropping. By late summer, flat brown seed pods develop, measuring two to four inches long.

Redbud grows throughout Oklahoma in every county. The species thrives in Oklahoma's diverse environments from moist eastern forests to drier western prairies. The tree grows naturally along woodland edges, in forest understories, and on rocky hillsides. Redbud tolerates Oklahoma's temperature extremes, surviving both summer heat exceeding 110°F and occasional winter cold near zero. The tree adapts to various soils from clay to sand, though it prefers well-drained sites. Redbud requires minimal water once established, making it well-suited to Oklahoma's variable rainfall. The tree grows alongside Oklahoma's mix of oak, hickory, and pine in eastern counties, and persists as an isolated understory tree even in the state's grassland regions. Wildlife value includes nectar for early-season bees and seeds for birds.

The official name is Redbud, though Eastern Redbud distinguishes this species from western and other redbud species. The common name refers to the reddish flower buds that appear before blooming. The scientific name Cercis canadensis combines Cercis (Greek for weaver's shuttle, describing the seed pod shape) with canadensis (meaning of Canada), though the tree grows far south of Canada throughout Oklahoma and the eastern United States. Early Oklahomans called it Judas tree, a name brought from Europe based on legend that Judas hanged himself from a redbud relative.

Some references use spicewood or salad tree, the latter from young flowers and pods being edible. Native American tribes had various names - the Cherokee made dye from the bark. The genus Cercis includes about 10 species worldwide. The species belongs to the Fabaceae family, the pea or legume family, evident in the pea-like flowers and seed pods. Oklahoma's redbud is the same species found throughout the eastern United States, though Oklahoma trees show greater drought tolerance than those in wetter climates. The tree's adaptability to Oklahoma's variable conditions made it an ideal state symbol representing resilience.

Oklahoma proclaimed the Redbud as its official state tree on February 16, 1937. The Oklahoma Legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 8 during the 1937 session. The designation came during Oklahoma's recovery from the Dust Bowl years when natural beauty took on special significance. By 1937, redbud had become deeply associated with Oklahoma spring and the renewal that followed harsh prairie winters and devastating dust storms. The tree's ability to thrive despite difficult conditions resonated with Oklahomans rebuilding their state.

Oklahoma selected redbud because it grows naturally throughout the entire state, from the Ozark hills in the northeast to the shortgrass prairie in the Panhandle. This statewide distribution meant every Oklahoma county could claim the state tree. The spring blooms provided a cultural touchstone - the appearance of pink redbud flowers signaled winter's end and spring's arrival across Oklahoma. For pioneers settling Oklahoma Territory in the late 1800s, redbud blooms marked the time for planting crops and starting farm work. Native American tribes including the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Creek had long recognized redbud as a spring indicator plant.

The tree held practical and symbolic importance for Oklahoma communities. Native Americans used redbud bark to make fiber for weaving and extracted red-brown dye for coloring textiles. Settlers learned these uses and added their own - the young flowers and seed pods are edible and were eaten as spring greens when other food was scarce. Oklahoma children played with the flat seed pods as whistles. The tree's modest size made it perfect for Oklahoma homesteads where it provided spring beauty without growing large enough to interfere with buildings or power lines. During the Dust Bowl, redbud's survival when other vegetation died represented hope and persistence. The 1937 designation honored a tree that had witnessed Oklahoma's transformation from Indian Territory to state, survived the Dust Bowl alongside Oklahomans, and announced each year's renewal with spectacular blooms. Unlike state trees chosen for timber value, redbud earned its status purely through beauty, symbolism, and the shared experience of its spring display connecting all Oklahomans regardless of where they lived. The tree represented Oklahoma's resilience, natural beauty, and the democratic principle that a state symbol should be accessible to everyone.

Oklahoma's state flower is the Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella), designated in 1986. The state chose its tree symbol nearly 50 years before adopting the wildflower. Both symbols feature vibrant colors - redbud's pink to purple blooms and Indian blanket's red and yellow petals. Redbud flowers appear in March and April as Indian blanket plants begin spring growth. By summer, Indian blanket blooms across Oklahoma prairies as redbud shows its heart-shaped leaves. Together these symbols represent Oklahoma's seasons and landscapes from woodland edges where redbud grows to open prairies where Indian blanket thrives. Both are native species that survived the Dust Bowl and continue defining Oklahoma's natural beauty.

The spring flowers create the most distinctive identification feature. Look for small pink to purple pea-like flowers covering bare branches in March and April. The flowers grow in dense clusters directly on branches and even on the trunk - this trunk-flowering pattern is unusual among Oklahoma trees. Each flower measures about half an inch long with a typical pea flower shape. Color ranges from deep magenta to light pink depending on the individual tree. The flowers appear before any leaves, making blooming redbuds highly visible. After two to three weeks, petals fall and leaves begin emerging.

The leaves provide identification after flowering ends. Each leaf has a distinctive heart shape measuring three to five inches across. The leaf appears glossy green on top with a lighter underside. Leaves attach to twigs in an alternate pattern with one leaf per node. The leaf edges are completely smooth without teeth or lobes. In fall, leaves turn yellow before dropping. By late summer, flat seed pods develop, hanging in clusters from branches. Each pod measures two to four inches long and half an inch wide, turning from green to brown as it matures. The pods persist through winter.

The overall form shows a small tree or large shrub with a rounded, spreading crown. Young redbuds often grow as multi-trunked shrubs. Mature trees develop a single trunk or multiple trunks dividing near the ground. The crown spreads nearly as wide as the tree is tall, creating a rounded silhouette. Branches grow in a somewhat irregular, zigzagging pattern. The bark appears smooth and gray on young trees, developing shallow furrows and a slightly scaly texture with age. Old redbuds show dark brown bark with vertical furrows. Twigs are slender and zigzag slightly. Winter buds are tiny and reddish-brown, barely visible.

Redbud represents Oklahoma's resilience and renewal. The tree symbolizes hope and survival - blooming spectacularly each spring despite Oklahoma's harsh conditions. For Oklahomans, redbud blooms signal winter's end and new beginnings. The tree embodies Oklahoma's pioneer spirit, thriving where conditions challenge most plants. Redbud's statewide presence makes it a democratic symbol - every Oklahoman can experience the state tree regardless of location. The spring display creates shared experience across Oklahoma's diverse regions and populations. The tree represents how beauty and meaning can come from modest sources - a small tree with no timber value but enormous cultural significance through its annual gift of color and hope.