That is absolutely breathtaking. I had no idea they could get that big; I have only seen them used in a more natural context, as understory plantings in a more wooded setting. That was in Virginia. They are definitely NOT commonplace in northern New England. ;)

So would you ring that tree with mulch, following the contour of the canopy, or wouldn't you? It has a very "oriental feel" to me... that mounding, sprawling habit and the contorted trunks. How would it be used in a Japanese style garden?

Gorgeous! When I lived in mountains of SW VA, the redbuds were everywhere, dotted about the woods. I planted one right next to my new patio, right before I moved back to CT four years ago. I'd love to see how it's doing.

Absolutely spectacular. I have never seen a redbud even approaching this one. I wonder if they pruned it to get that effect or if they just got lucky. Is it the eastern or Chinese redbud? Any other info?

So lovely! I think the grassy edge looks gentle and natural and perfectly acceptable as is--but I also have this urge to address the bare earth somehow. Would a scrim of pea gravel just to cover the "dirt" be acceptable? Or is that the top of the slippery slope to tree rings?

A light layer of organic mulch would probably be good here, just to retain some moisture and keeps weeds to a minimum. I wouldn't put gravel in, pea or otherwise.

Do you think it would be unseemly to add a layer of "dahk bahk" beneath it? I am thinking in terms of establishing a narrow perimeter of mulch to keep the path of the lawn mower well away from the lovely pendant branches... . Something as discreet as a mulch can be? can it be "discreet"? I have looked at this from a practical perspective... I mow my own lawn and I'm afraid of the weedwacker (ever since I hacked up a toad), and don't have time to hand trim things.

Hence, my question about how a specimen of this type might be handled in a "Japanese" garden.

What a treasure! Would guess that it was planted years ago near the septic tank and mowed down several times by the resident teenager tired of pushing the reel mower. Now everyone wants to get cutesy and mulch around it. Obviously it has attained its stature with little assistance. Leave it alone. The Japanese would probably retain the natural 'swept' earth look.

Of course, IB, my horticultural mind sees characteristics in the tree which scream 'propagate me'. This could have been a chance seedling tree. Who knows?

Using "everyone wants to get cutesy" is a perfect example of why so many don't participate here, or when they do it's nothing more than one of those "vanilla", "blank slate" questions. This is TDC (thinly disguised contempt). And is doesn't foster participation or discusssion.

WHY wouldn't YOU use mulch? I was honest, I told you why I might consider it.

Thanks for answering my question about how such a specimen would be treated in a "Japanese" setting. Is there any such thing as "lawn" in a Japanese garden? why or why not? what is the philosophy behind "Japanese" gardening?

As long as we're here to discuss such things...

Beautiful specimen tree, great character, worth the extra care to mow around carefully.

Since redbuds usually don't cast very dense shade (as mature southern magnolias do, for example), I wonder how that bare earth looks relatively pristine and weed-free?

Well, I think that nandina is right about the level of cultivation that this particular tree and landscape have received. Certainly, there has been no artifice of pruning here. The prostrate branches have the look of having been broken off/pushed down and having ressurected themselves. Redbuds are kind of brittle, aren't they? And there is no apparent "landscaping" other than the general tidiness of the entire scene. Notice--no weeds or debris under the great tree.

From a standpoint of what is appropriate for THIS tree and THIS "landscape"--I think the way it is now is totally appropriate. But, if the tree were living in a space that is a little more designed, would you do something to attend to the bare ground--as an attention to detail and to ensure that any statement it makes is other than "no grass will grow here"?

Ironbelly--that is one gawjus tree. I hope it's caretakers (no one could really OWN such a tree!)appreciate it. If it were mine I'd leave the gorund beneath it as is--vlearly it doesn't need any help (right now anyway.)

Nandina--Love the analysis. It certainly SOUNDS true!

Eric--around here my redbuds cast pretty dense shade, though I will agree, nothing compared with a magnolia.

melanie

How perplexed would the owner of this tree be if he had any idea how much commentary it has generated! Especially the Japanese gardening refrences--lol! After all, it's just an old tree--it aint hurting nobody and it still looks pretty in the Spring--so he just mows right around it.

Could it be the tree has been "self-mulching" all these many years? Dropping leaves and petals which compost themselves under the canopy? Sure is beautiful, love the twisty old trunk.

What would be the point of pea gravel? Bark would appear to be unnecessary, or so it appears in the photos. There is something about the fine texture, the softness and light color of the exposed dirt that seems just right in this case. I would leave it alone. But I cannot explain how I arrive at that conclusion.

I would bow to Nandina's experience any day of the week and the teenager with the out of control lawnmower reminds me of something. Isn't this a tree that goes off in search of light? Could there have been another tree, since taken down, above it taking the light that caused such a meandering search? By the way, Nandina had a sucessful practice before the invention of mulch a product that is used largely for its appearance and not its usefulness. When the blossom drops, I wonder if this creates a no go zone that gives the 'swept' look Nandina refers to.

May just be showing natural leaning tendency. Floral effect looks great with architecture around it there. Being a legume (probably has nitrogen-fixing nodules, may possibly be adapted to disturbed sites), growing in native region may not need mulching. Certainly looks like someone has been blowing or raking beneath it each year. But: has this been done at this location all along, or is it a recently introduced practice?

Some redbuds to compare with:

66' x 4'7" x 64' Wayne County, MI (1983)
47' x 8'2" x 36' Springfield, MO (1976)
44' x 10'5" x 35' Tennessee (1994)
36' x 10'0" x 27' Nashville, TN (1989)
39' x 9'0" x 42' Roanoke, VA (1991)
36' x 9'2" x 39' Charleston, MO (1968)
29' x 10'3" x 35' Manteo, NC (1993)

Newbie talking here so please be gentle: I suspect one or more of our Iowa ice storms helped shape this tree. There was a very similar one in our little town until recently. Storm took about half of it out and now its a sad remnant. It also is bare of grass underneath it. From the general disrepair of that property I doubt any one has been blowing the leaves away.

I'm lazy so I would never get around to "dusting" underneath there or spreading mulch (please can we get that gawd-awful bright gold or red mulch outlawed or something) but I can see if you have pets or young children that you might want to put something subtle under it. It gets muddy under these trees. My yard is for my family to live in and my boys would be up that tree in about 30 seconds. I love the contast of the gnarled old limbs aginst the clean white clapboard. This is a very Iowa scene and while not overtly designed has its own country grace. Something more elaborate wouldn't work here. But that's a whole differnt thread I'd like to start if you don't eat me alive. OK? Maria

Actually--the ice storm idea makes a lot of sense. We've got a Cercis in the backyard that had the top half-broken in the ice-storm of 2002. I thought for CERTAIN the broken bit would die--but it blooms and puts out leaves every year. In all honesty, it OUGHT to come down--but I don't have the heart. I'll try and get a picture next week after we bring Elder Son home from college.

melanie

I think it is gorgeous but I'd plant some low ferns and mosses under it.

If those little green bits in the dirt under the tree aren't weeds, then what are they...?

But who has the sac to say they MIGHT use mulch... ? or! tell us why they wouldn't.

hmmm...

(nighty-night... zzz...)

I will tell you why i wouldn't

two reasons
The way the tree is growing it looks like it was already planted to low which is was not it just looks that way from the growth.Any mulch that you add would just look that much more out of place and the mulch sitting on the stem/s would be nothing but a problem (ie. rot& insects)

When you think about it, all that tree really needs is a little corrective pruning. Limb that baby up and let some light in. That'll allow you to seed grass - or even better, add 4-6 inches of topsoil over the packed dirt and you can grow groundcover, maybe even some hostas.

Just kidding. But you know that if the owner sold the property, odds are the new people would do just that. "But honey, it looks messy and the mower doesn't fit under there."

Redbuds don't live forever. I'd enjoy this one just as it is - no mulch, mosses or pea gravel.

But if they did mulch, pea gravel would of course be the most thematically appropriate for under a leguminous tree.

Ron...aaargh!

Very old redbuds often look just like this. In the older sections of my town redbud (being a prolific native) is one of the most common landscaping trees and nearly every house has a huge old gnarly one like this. I don't think anything tragic happens to shape them this way...though we do have terrific ice storms every now and then. Gravity is a powerful force. It's really cool when the trunk sprouts clusters of blooms and looks like it's decorated with pom-poms.

I also think this one has been naturally mulched. Contrary to Eric's statment, I find mature redbuds to cast rather dense shade, especially when the branches are horizontal and growing in tiers like this.

I would not put more mulch down. It would create a defined edge which, from a design standpoint, would do nothing to frame the tree and would actually draw attention from the grace and form of the tree. The tree's doing a great job of what mulch is really designed to do...protect the root zone. Not everything needs to me "managed" in a landscape.

I wouldn't mulch either--because I don't think it needs it. It looks like a GREAT place for kids--and they prefer soft earth to mulch, if they are given a choice. (At least mine always did.) ALSO--no chiggers in bare earth!

If, for some reason, I felt COMPELLED to mulch (a child who didn't like to play in the dirt? a spouse who was unhappy with bare earth?)I wouldn't use "mulch"--I'd use the finely ground pinebark we call "soil conditioner" down here. I think it would look more "natural" somehow.

I hope one of my redbuds looks like that in the future..though I doubt it. Mine are too shaded...

melanie

I WANT THAT TREE! I had no idea redbuds could grow into that shape - almost reminds me of a japanese maple! I vote for no mulch at all. That tree has earned the right to be left in peace!

By the way, how old is that tree, do you suppose?
Patty

Am I the only one who thinks IB is getting a laugh while people seriously consider his tongue-firmly-in-cheek title to this thread?

Ha! You are not alone with that thought, Karen, which is why I've stayed out of this thread until now.

LOVE that tree!

Wow. Man. That is the most beautiful redbud I've seen. But I have an irresistable urge to truck over three yards of composted bark mulch to work into the soil. Must...mulch...

Yeah, I knew the post was a challenge but I jumped in anyway. I have an interst in defining the exact moment when defensible design slips into the dark world of tree rings and plastic deer.

But, I'm ready to let it go, I think...

Here's more info on Cercis canadensis, defining its density of shade as "moderate", and "low to moderate".

No doubt there is individual variance and occasional folks stumbling about in the dense, funereal gloom under their redbuds. :)

In general trees and other plants do better mulched, thus the use of it by some people who know this. Others are just trying to control weeds or like how it looks. Digging it in is not a good idea, nor is piling it on the stems.

Good readin', thanks.

It's nice to hear some reasoning behind the choices available to us all!

That is a beautiful redbud! I have a problem, related to this. My neighbors have a red bud, much smaller than this, about 10', with alot of branches that need to be trimmed. It's right on the fence line, (their fence, split rail), I'm thinking about planting(about 1-2' in, on my side of the yard)-roses, hydrangea, agastache, nepeta & mulching, because it's hard to move the mower there at the bottom of a hill. I think it's about a 25' span, w/ Eastern sunlight. Any other suggestions? Thanks...Thistle

Take away "need to be trimmed" and the problem vanishes. "Too tall, need to be trimmed, must be raked" etc. etc. are the basis for unnecessary misfortunes, like spoiled plants and disenchanted garden owners. I think many buy condos because they just "have" to do this or that in the garden, burn out on all the resulting work.

Plant stuff that will go with it or cut it back and plant something in front that will hide the result of your attentions. Expect to be re-cutting it periodically. Hope the neighbor doesn't mind having their tree hedged on one side.

I just ordered a weeping redbud which looks similar to this one only smaller. It is the weeping variety with the distorted growth pattern.

Here is a link that might be useful: Weeping Redbud