My understanding is that while the species can be hardy, most of the cultivars were developed from southern stock.

The big problem with them here is that they seem to be quite brittle trees. The big difference (invasiveness aside) between redbuds and Bradford pears being that redbuds are considerably smaller. They have the same tendency to develop into good specimens, then look like a giant stepped on them after the next big ice storm.

I have no idea why one speaker at a conference would’ve used the term “Deadbuds,” but I wouldn’t let it deter me from giving it a go. They are a relativey short lived tree, so maybe that’s what they meant. Or perhaps the speaker was referring to its susceptibility to verticillium wilt.

Columbus, Wisconsin, has them planted all over town, and their annual festival is worth checking out. An even hardier source comes from the U of Minnesota (MN Strain). The trees in pic are from the U of MN Landscape Arb.

I agree with mad_gallica and maackia's comments. Many of the currently available cultivars have been developed from southern provenances, and mature redbuds often have weak branch crotches that can result in storm damage. They are also susceptible to verticillium wilt and cankers. But in spite of these potential issues, they can sometimes be surprisingly long-lived.

The term "deadbuds" was likely coined by maackia's fellow Wisconsinite Mike Yanny of Johnson's Nursery, who gives a detailed explanation of the challenge of growing young redbuds in the north in this article: Redbud in Wisconsin. He recommends starting with more mature plants, and avoiding cultural practices that will encourage late season growth. Using hardier varieties/provenances is also a good idea in northern regions. A couple hardy varieties that you should be able to find now or in the near future are 'Pink Trim' (aka Northern Herald) from South Dakota, and Northern Lites selected in northeast Ohio.

leaving out the foo foo variations on the theme ... they are bullet proof from livonia to tecumseh... and in fact.. i have hundred self sown babes all over my 5 acres ..

whomever told you that was simply wrong.. period .... paragraph ... note the map at this link.. and note the native range goes north well beyond MI

....

https://bcnativeplants.net/plant-info-pages/Cercis-canadensis.html

in case you dont like that map: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=cercis+canadensis+native+range+map&t=newext&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

once mature.. my trees NEVER missed a bloom cycle ...

personally i wouldnt waste my money on any of the foo foo plants...imo.. those are not worth the money in z5 .. very dependent on a micro climate ... i figure they are more z6.. and do not appreciate winter winds .... perhaps thats what the speaker was speaking of ...

they are what is called short lived trees.. at about 25 years.. they.. as you note.. start shedding branches.. and just start to go down hill .. until they just collapse .. just like the one that must have been planted out my front door right after the house was built ...

go for it.. they being me such joy.... they seem to bloom the minute the ground thaws... and though there might be some snow ... the flowers mean that winter is over ... i would never be without one ....

ken

On the list of hard varieties so far are Pink Trim/Northern Herald and Northern Lights series. What else? A local nursery sells Eastern redbud (non-cultivar), what about that one?

I played around with redbud in Minneapolis (borderline 4b/5a). They seem ok with some protection and have dieback in cold winters (this is with northern stock). My impression is they are probably fine for zone 5, but borderline in zone 4.

A local nursery sells Eastern redbud (non-cultivar), what about that one?

If the local retail nursery's redbuds are B&B field stock obtained from a reputable wholesale grower in this region, then you should be OK. If their stock came directly from growers farther south (often from TN), chances are greater that the trees would be of southern provenance and possibly not as well adapted to our zone. It's ultimately a question of the original seed source.

We just started planting some Pink Trim in the past year. It's not only supposed to have good hardiness, but it's also supposed to produce less seed.

There is also Heart's Desire which is a U of MN selection, or you could try to find seed grown trees labeled as MN Strain. I really like the foliage on Pink Trim compared to the MN strain that is sold here. Darker green, thicker and a bit shiny.