Redbud, we await you
You know (for sure) that spring has arrived when the redbuds begin to bloom. That doesn’t mean we won’t have another odd snowstorm. I remember at least three times when we’ve had snow fall on dogwoods blooms.
How many times have you seen the redbuds in full bloom only to enjoy them for a day or two before an errant arctic blast withers the blooms to a drooping mess? Yes, those odd weather events occur, especially in spring with a mixing of moist subtropical air with a bubble of cold dry Arctic air, forming the predictable severe storms of our continental climate.
Despite those odd flips of weather, there’s no going back once redbuds are blooming. Last year in mid-March, redbuds were blooming, and a short-lived snow decorated for a brief morning. This year we are waiting a little longer for spring to be marked by redbud blooms.
I’ve been in the Ozarks watching the cycles of spring for nearly 40 years, and this is my favorite time of year, coming into that period where spring ephemerals cover the forest understory, and soon a thousand shades of green will begin to dance in the tree tops and the hood of your car will be dusted with yellow pollen. I’ve been here long enough so that all of the indicators of spring, including errant weather events, are predictable cycles.
From mid-March through early April redbud’s pink pea-like petals, mark the moment when spring vegetation changes daily. Redbuds are one of the best signals that winter is on its way out or that you’ve been fooled into planting your garden too early and may become victim to a hard spring frost.
Historically, redbud (Cercis canadensis) is called salad tree. Soon the time will come to pretty up your salads. Flowers of the “salad tree” have a flavor similar to the first sweet young peas of the season, accompanied by a tart acidity, subdued with a hint of sweet nectar. Nothing beats these early blooms for color in salads. The buds, flowers and young green fruits can also be fried in a little butter, or in batter, as a tasty woodland morsel. Redbud, we await you.