Good Bye, Forest Pansy -- I'll Miss you!





One of my favorite trees died this spring. It's a 'Forest Pansy' redbud, a beautiful ornamental that's less hardy than the straight species. It can be iffy to grow in Chicago, but Cincinnati's winters aren't usually quite that extreme. A few years ago, my Forest Pansy split during a rough winter, and I thought I'd lost it. It came back. It has survived moderate flooding and extended droughts, coming back to brighten my early spring garden with its flowers and to take my breath away when the leaves emerged red-purple, before changing to green.

Last winter was more severe than usual, and the Forest Pansy didn't survive. It was a really beautiful tree, and I'm going to miss it. Sorry that the pictures aren't great quality -- I wish now that I'd photographed it more often -- or had my husband take the pictures, since he's a better photographer. But this gives you the idea.

Comments

Jean Campbell said…
What a terrible loss, your Forest Pansy! Will you be replacing it with another redbud, or not at all? I just have the regular native cercis but I love the heart shaped leaves. Cardinals frequently eat the blossoms in the spring, which bothers me not at all because there won't be seedlings.
Oh, I love the Forest Pansy! It's so beautiful! I'm so sorry to hear it didn't make it...it was so beautiful. I've never seen a tree like this.

Just thought I'd drop in to visit with you and thank you for droping in to see me! I do hope you'll come back...

Hawk
Hey Becke...I just put you in my (right) side bar to let others know about your B&N...go check it out and if there is anything incorrect let me know...or if you want something added, let me know. I hope you don't mind my doing that...if you do just let me know.

Hawk
Becke Davis said…
I'm still debating whether to replace it or not. I was never able to grow American hollies in Chicago, and several of my neighbors here grow them. I might replace it with one of those. I'm also considering a whitefringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) or a katsuratree (yes, they write it as one word: Cercidiphyllum japonicum). Or maybe I'll try again with the Forest Pansy. I loved the changing leaf color even more than the blossoms.

Hawk, you've visited my alter ego's website: Becke Martin.

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