Judas tree
Cercis siliquastrum
Also called Cercis and Love tree
Garden plant · TreesThe flowers come out of the BARE TRUNK and the old branches, not the twigs — a habit called cauliflory, and there is nothing else in a British garden that does it. It resents transplanting, so buy small.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 9 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Not needed
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 8 m tall · 8 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- The Mediterranean and western Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-22. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Rows of small salmon-pink pimples along a branch that died back over winter. Cut well behind it into live wood — this tree carries dead stubs badly.Coral spot · disease
- A tree that was fine in the pot and never recovers after planting, or after being lifted and re-sited. It puts down a deep root early and resents disturbance more than most — buy small and plant once.Killed by moving · disorder