The Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud, otherwise known as the Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant or Redbud ‘Ruby Falls’, ‘Ruby Falls’ Weeping Redbud, is a rather well known tree plant by gardening enthusiasts around the world.
Best known for its low maintenance and moderate growth, this tree will likely liven up your house (or garden) with its burgundy colored leaves. But, only if you learn how to take proper care of it for it to thrive.
Fortunately, this is exactly what we’ll cover in this Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud Care Guide. So let’s dive in.
In order to take proper care of your Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud you’ll need to keep in mind the following guidelines:
- Water: The Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud wants regular watering to enhance fruit production but as a landscape plant, too much water will be a problem.
- Light: Keep your Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant in an environment where it can receive partial to full sun on a daily basis.
- Soil: Make sure to keep the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud in soil with well-draining properties, so ideally, one that is made of clay, loam, chalk, and sand.
That’s it – sunlight, water and soil! The basic 3 fundamentals for all plant care, and with the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud this is no exception. With these three elements, your leafy friend will live healthy and happy.
Description and Botanical Aspects
In botanical terms, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud belongs to the Fabaceae family, the genus Cercis and the species Canadensis, hence its scientific (or botanical) name Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant (SER-sis kan-a-DEN-sis).
Some of the more popular Fabaceae plants are Blue False Indigo, Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest’, Avondale Redbud, Cercis Canadensis, Baptisia X ‘Cherries Jubilee’ Plant Patent #23907; Can. Breeders Rights #5332, Wisteria floribunda ‘Shiro-Naga’ and Mimosa ‘Summer Chocolate’.
As with other Cercis’s, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud is a deciduous plant, which means it will shed its leaves annually once autumn comes.
| Name | Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud |
| Watering | Once or twice per week |
| Light | Partial to full sun |
| Soil | Well-draining properties |
| Temperature | See USDA Zones 5-9 |
Growing Region
You might be wondering why your Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud’s native region is important. Well, if you know where your plant originally came from, you’ll know which environment conditions it prefers, and with it, knowledge on how to replicate it at home.
With this in mind, the Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant will be most used to the heat zones in the 2 – 9 region, as the plant hardiness level falls between 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a and the ideal climate zone is between 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.
Growth and Size
In terms of size and growth, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud is a relatively moderate grower, which makes things somewhat easy for any plant enthusiast.
But, what size of Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud are we talking about? What can you expect in terms of height, spread and spacing? Let’s dig in…
How big does a Ruby Falls weeping redbud get?
The Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant can grow up to 6′ – 8′ (180cm – 240cm) tall and 3′ – 4′ (90cm – 120cm) wide. At a rate of 1′ – 2′ per year.
These dimensions make the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud a relatively large tree compared to others, so it’s best to keep this fact in mind since it will affect where you want to keep yours at home.
Also, expect it to grow in a wonderful weeping shape, which is something worthwhile to remember when making your garden landscape plans.
This is why experts recommend keeping an area of approximately 48″ (120cm) free so the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud can spread to its best extent.
Water
In terms of watering, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud is a fairly complicated plant to take care of.
This is mostly because it has a not so straightforward watering schedule and somewhat regular watering needs.
Specifically, most experts agree that the Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant wants regular watering to enhance fruit production but as a landscape plant, too much water will be a problem.
Which is why it is considered a plant with relatively average needs in terms of water.
Watering
As a rule of thumb, you should remember to keep your Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud in soil with well-draining characteristics, as these will guarantee the right conditions for your plant to grow and thrive.
When you consider this, this is why you should aim to choose soil that has good drainage properties to keep the right moisture levels at all times.
In our experience, the famous ‘thumb’ or ‘finger’ test is what works best for the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud since with it, you will be able to give it the right amount of water, every time – regardless of the environment or placement where you do decide to keep it.
Soil Mix
As mentioned earlier, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud prefers to have soil with good drainage properties at all times, reason why you need to make the soil mix out of clay, loam, chalk, and sand.
This is why most experts agree that the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud requires soil with clay, loam (silt), and sand, which will give you the right conditions it needs.
In addition to this, expert gardeners recommend having preferably alkaline, acid or neutral soil.
Light and Exposure
In terms of light & exposure, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud requires partial to full sun in order for it to thrive under the right conditions.
Most experts agree that this tree will do well as long as you keep it in partial to full sun, and it will be able to grow properly.
Specifically, we recommend that you place your Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant in little to partial shade (only 2-6 hours of direct sunlight a day), to full and direct sun (more 6 hours of direct sunlight per day).
Season
Being a deciduous plant, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud will shed its leaves annually once autumn comes.
But, you can expect it to have its ‘prime-time’ during the spring (early, mid, late), the summer (early, mid, late), and during the fall.
Flowers
You can expect your Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud to flower around the spring months from April to June (spring).
In particular, this tree is well known for its showy flowers around the plant enthusiast community.
The Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud produces some beautiful red, or red/burgundy flowers around this time of year.
Foliage
The leaves from the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud have a beautiful burgundy color during most of the year.
In particular, they have a simple arrangement with a alternate organization in its leaves.
Attracts, Tolerance and Resistance
The Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud is well known for being able to attract butterflies and birds, so keep that in mind when choosing your plant, as you’ll likely end up finding one or another in your garden.
Additionally, it has a special tolerance for clay soil, and animals like deer, so don’t worry if any of these come along, your Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant will be fine.
Garden
How should you then organize your garden to include your new Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud? Here are some recommendations by expert gardeners.
Most Cercis Canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Plant owners agree that this tree will look great in most mediterranean, asian/zen cottage, and rustic gardens of all types.
Other owners consider that they complement well most gardens of informal and cottage, and in traditional garden styles.
In particular, the Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud’s best location within your garden is in beds and borders, and in small gardens, others use it for landscaping in a urban garden, firescaping/fire wise, specimen, or a woodland garden.
Companion Plants
Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud’s do well with some other plants beside it. One good companion plant is the Cornus, which will pair up nicely with your leafy friend.
Others consider that a nice Mahonia will work well too, so choose whichever you find works best for you!
Conclusion
And we’ve come to an end. Fortunately, that’s everything you need to know about your Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud to keep it safe and sound in your garden or home. Enjoy planting!
Related Questions
Do Weeping Redbuds lose their leaves?
Weeping redbuds are known to drop some of their leaves early when they are drought-stressed. Normally, however, they will retain most of their leaves until the autumn, when they will naturally fall off.
How do you trim a Ruby Falls Redbud?
There are a few things to keep in mind when pruning a Ruby Falls redbud:
- Always prune to a bud on young stems or to a branch or the trunk. This will help promote new growth.
- Prune any dead, broken, or diseased branches first.
- Thin out the interior of the tree to allow light and air circulation.
- Remove suckers ( shoots that grow from the roots or from the base of the trunk).
Are Redbud Trees toxic to dogs?
No, Redbud Trees are not toxic to dogs. In fact, they’re actually quite beneficial! Not only do they provide essential shade and respite from the hot sun, but their beautiful flowers can also help set the mood for a perfect day out with your furry friend. So go ahead and enjoy the beauty of these spring-flowering trees worry-free – your dog will be just fine.
How long does Redbud Trees live?
Depending on the climate, Redbud Trees can live up to 20 years. In warmer climates, they may not live as long because they are more likely to suffer from pests and diseases. In colder climates, they may last longer because the pests and diseases are not as prevalent.
