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Cercis siliquastrum

Common name:	Judas Tree	Family:	Leguminosae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	11, 49, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. Europe to E. Asia.
Habitat:	Stony slopes and in arid warm woods[49, 132].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	C. siliquastrum var. alba[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Erguvan [E], Judas Tree [MS,H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	siliquastrum = siliqua (pod) like
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Fabales. Renamed to Fabaceae -- Pea family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Turkey

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 12m by 10m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 6 and is frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Flowers Seedpod.

Flowers - raw[2, 89, 105]. A sweetish-acid taste, they are a nice addition to the salad bowl[11, 183, K]. The flower buds are pickled and used as a condiment[183].
Seedpods - raw[2].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Wood.

Wood - very hard, beautifully grained, takes a very fine polish. Used for veneers[89, 200].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils and pH types, but dislikes growing in wet soils, especially when these are of clay[200]. Prefers a deep sandy loam and a very sunny position[11, 182]. Thrives on chalk[11, 98] and in dry sandy soils[98]. Probably does best on a poorish soil[49]. Succeeds in light shade[200]. Dislikes drought[200].
Dormant plants are hardy to about -15° c[202]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Plants do not generally thrive at Kew, they prefer a hotter, continental climate in order to fully ripen their wood[11]. One report says that plants require cool greenhouse treatment in Britain[1], though several good specimens have been seen outdoors in this country[K]. The tree often does not flower freely in Britain, especially if the previous summer was cool.
Plants are susceptible to coral spot fungus, especially when growing in areas with cool summers where the wood is not fully ripened[11]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Resents root disturbance, plants should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible, preferably in May, and should be kept well watered until established[11].
Any pruning is best carried out in the winter[202].
A very ornamental plant[1], flowering well in &ndndndnd[59]. It flowers better when growing in a continental climate[200]. The flowers are produced on the branches of the previous or earlier years, and also on the trunk of the plant[82].
A good bee plant[108].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[200]. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours in warm water then cold stratify for 3 months[113]. Sow spring in the greenhouse[78]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Plants resent root disturbance and are best planted out in their permanent positions as soon as possible[11].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[49] Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
Trees and shrubs that grow well in &ndndndnd and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.

[59] Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in &ndndndnd.
Trees and shrubs that succeed in &ndndndnd based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[89] Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1
A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.

[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs.
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[108] International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981
The title says it all.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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