Flame Thrower® Redbud

Cercis canadensis ‘NC2016-2’ PP31,260

A spectacular North Carolina-developed redbud with a season-long display of burgundy, red, gold, yellow-green, and green foliage.

Quick Care

Light: Full sun to part shade
Water: Moderate; water regularly while establishing
Mature Size: 15–20 ft. tall × 10–15 ft. wide
Soil: Moist, well-drained soil; adaptable to clay, loam, and sandy soils
Growth Rate: Moderate
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–9
Bloom: Pink to light-purple flowers in early spring
Foliage: Burgundy-red → red → bronze → yellow-green → green
Habit: Upright to slightly spreading with gently pendant branches
Maintenance: Low

Description

Flame Thrower® Redbud is one of the most colorful redbuds available and has a special connection to North Carolina. Developed through the NC State University redbud breeding program, this distinctive selection combines beautiful spring flowers with an extraordinary foliage display.

Clusters of pink to light-purple flowers appear along the bare branches in early spring. As flowering finishes, the real show begins. New heart-shaped leaves emerge deep burgundy-purple, changing through brilliant shades of red, reddish bronze, yellow and yellow-green before maturing toward green.

Because new leaves continue to emerge while older leaves mature, several colors can appear on the same branch at the same time, giving the tree its distinctive “Flame Thrower” appearance.

Why You’ll Love It

• Exceptional multicolored foliage throughout the growing season

• Beautiful pink spring flowers before the leaves emerge

• Compact size fits landscapes where larger shade trees are too big

• Provides interest from early spring through fall

• Flowers provide an early-season food source for pollinators

• Developed in North Carolina and well suited to Piedmont landscapes

Best Uses

Flame Thrower® makes an outstanding specimen or accent tree where its colorful foliage can be appreciated. Use it near patios, along woodland edges, in foundation beds large enough for its mature size, or as a focal point in mixed shrub and perennial borders.

Its 15–20-foot mature height makes it particularly useful for smaller residential landscapes.

Planting & Care

Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist but well-drained soil. Dig the planting hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than the root system. Keep the root flare at or slightly above the surrounding soil level.

Water deeply after planting and maintain consistent moisture during the first growing season. Once established, Flame Thrower® requires relatively little maintenance.

Apply 2–3 inches of mulch over the root zone while keeping mulch several inches away from the trunk. Prune only as necessary to remove dead, damaged, rubbing, or poorly positioned branches.

Franklin Brothers’ Central NC Advice

Flame Thrower® is an excellent choice for the North Carolina Piedmont. For the strongest foliage color, give it plenty of sunlight, but a location with morning sun and some protection from intense late-afternoon summer heat can also perform very well.

Good drainage is important. Avoid planting redbuds in locations that remain saturated after heavy rain.

During its first summer, pay particular attention to watering. Give the tree a thorough, deep watering rather than frequent shallow watering so roots are encouraged to grow into the surrounding soil.

Good to Know

Flame Thrower® was developed by noted NC State plant breeder Dr. Dennis Werner from a controlled redbud breeding program. The cultivar ‘NC2016-2’ combines purple- and gold-leaf genetics to produce its remarkable succession of foliage colors.

Flame Thrower® is a patented cultivar (PP31,260), so unauthorized asexual propagation is prohibited while the patent remains in effect.

This is more than a spring-flowering redbud—the changing foliage makes Flame Thrower® a colorful landscape feature throughout the growing season.