Tree of the Week: March 4th, 2025
Our Business Administrator, Chloe, was out hiking with her friends in the foothill of Irvine this weekend when she came across a blooming Eastern Redbud Tree (Cercis canadensis). The first blooming tree of Spring is always a sight for sore eyes and the Eastern Redbud is one of the first to bloom each year in early March! It has quite a large native range, from southern Michigan south to central Mexico, all the way west out to California. It also happens to be the state tree of Oklahoma. The beautiful magenta flowers are a favorite of blueberry bees and carpenter bees because their long tongues allow them to gather the nectar while other types of pollinators can’t reach. The flowers and seed pods are also editable for humans! They can be eaten in salads, either raw or pickled; and in Mexico, they are fried and used as a topping. The seed pods have a light, sweet taste and crisp texture that’s similar to snow peas. When made into jelly, the flowers taste more floral and slightly sweet, with a hint of strawberry and grape. Who knew there were so many creations you could make from a little pink flower!
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