This spring due possibly to the large amount of rain we had this winter, the blooming trees have been particularly spectacular, and one in particular kept catching my eye during our week of outings during the Passover holiday. And since it was so particularly beautiful, I was very curious to know what kind of tree it was exactly. Now, I knew it couldn't be an almond tree, since almond blossums are white, and it didn't seem like a fruit tree either. All I knew is that I just couldn't stop oohing and ahhing over this gorgeous tree that seemed to pop up all over the place this year. "Look kids, look at the gorgeous pink flowers!"
Look how amazing this little wild tree looks amidst the forrest greenery!
Oh wow, and look at those blooms growing right out of the trunk, stunning!
And look at this row of trees planted on this gorgeous property on the Yishuv of Mitzpe Amouka (a must see if you're ever on the way to Amouka, the most gorgeous yishuv we've seen.)
Fortunately for me I did manage to take a closer look at this tree, noticing both heart shaped leaves and pods, which enabled me to identify it courtesy of Google as Klil HaChoresh or Judas tree. Yippee, I will certainly plant of few of these in my garden should I ever be blessed with some earth of my own.
For more info about this tree, and what it's called in the United States, keep on reading!
Now, readers, since you all come from all over the world, I will mention something interesting. It turns out that the Judas Tree, Cercis siliquastrum seems almost identical to the Eastern Red Bud, Cercis canadensis. So why the two different names, I'm no botanist but guessing because they're native to two different areas in the world?
The Eastern Redbud, is found on rich bottom lands throughout the Mississippi River valley, and is very abundant in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. This tree is difficult to grow as far west as western Kansas and Colorado, as there is not sufficient water, though it grows well in New York state, New Jersey and southward.
Klil HaChoresh, the Judas tree is native to Western Asia, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and Southern Europe including Albania, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Turkey and Former Yugoslavia.
Okay, this is starting to sound like Craft Schooling Sunday, right? My point being, that except for my readers in Scandanavia and other Northern areas of the world, many of you could certainly plant one of these trees in your garden. And the good news is that it is also available in a cultivar that has white blooms, and the two together are gorgeous. So do make a little notebook dedicated to the garden of your dreams and think about including this special tree in your dream garden, I know I certainly am!
