Types

• The Cercis chinensis is the main species, and it has four common cultivars of the main species: avondale; alba; nana; shipobana. The alba cultivar is also known as the white Chinese redbud; the nana's common name is the dwarf Chinese redbud; the hipobana is also known as the shipobana Chinese redbud.
  
  

Features

• A mature avondale can reach an average height of 8 to 10 feet but can grow up to 12 feet. The bark is grayish-brown to light-brown. Flowers are small, .25 to .5 an inch in width, and are a pinkish-purple. Flowers grow in blooms, which are fixed to branchlets positioned close to the main branch. A bloom is 6 to 10 inches in diameter on average. Leaves are evergreen, green to dark-green, heart-shaped, and 5 to 7 inches in width.
  
  

Climate

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture prescribes the hardiness zones 7a to 9b for the avondale. These zones correspond to the western halves of Washington, Oregon, northern California, all of southern California and Nevada, and all southern border states, including Oklahoma and Tennessee. These zones represent areas that produce temperatures not lower than 0 degrees F.
  
  

Habitat

• Hardiness zones 7a through 9b produce habitats of full sun, which the avondale prefers. The tree can survive in environments providing partial shade. The avondale prefers moist, not over-watered soil. Standing water surrounding the tree signals over-watering. Over-watering occurs less often in soils that promote water drainage, such as sand and clay. An ideal soil pH level is between mild acidic (5) to alkaline (8.5).
  
  

Positive Aspects

• The avondale is tolerant of drought conditions. Its blooms attract birds, bees and butterflies.
  
  

Negative Aspects

• The avondale is susceptible to fungal growth related diseases, such as leaf spot. Leaf spot appears as off-colored spots on the leaf top. One cause of the fungal growth is over-watering. If leaf spots occur on a tree that is never over-watered, a local nursery should be consulted to help determine the type of fungicide or alternative treatment needed.
  
  

Considerations

• The avondale blooms at the end of winter through the beginning of spring. Dead or damaged branches should be removed. Weak branches should have their branchlets trimmed.