I made a movie for you about how to create a beautiful tree like this. The video is below.
Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud Tree
The Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud tree was discovered and developed by my friend Tim Brotzman of Brotzman’s Nursery in Madison, Ohio. What a spectacular plant! Brotzman’s is wholesale only, please do not contact them trying to buy from them.
Small plants bring in big money!
Recently I did a video about teaching a Lavender Twist Redbud Tree to actually act like a tree. That’s the problem with weeping plants. All they want to do is weep! Left alone they would just lay on the ground and grow in a horizontal fashion.
Lavender Twist Weeping Red Bud Tree in Mike McGroarty’s yard.
That’s why they are so interesting when we train them to grow upright. They fight the notion, and that creates the most interesting shapes and habits, combined with their beautiful flowers, we get some really beautiful plants.
As you’ll see in my video, some of the Lavender Twist Redbud in my nursery are fighting me about being trees. Of course that has a lot to do with the fact that I haven’t been right on top of them keeping them trained. But my negligence tends to create some pretty interesting plants that will have a great deal of character by the time I am actually ready to sell them.
The Lavender Twist is still a great plant to grow and sell because they actually do grow pretty quickly for an ornamental tree. They are patented so we can’t propagate them, but several times throughout the year I see where some of our Backyard Growers offer them for sale. Some of the ones that I got I think I paid less than $10.00 per plant for them which is a great deal when even small ones sell for $99.00 or more.
If they are patented how are our members able to sell them for such low prices?
They buy them from large wholesale growers who are licensed to propagate them, they pay the royalty at the time of purchase, then they mark them up a little and offer them for sale to our members. This is really a great service for our members because you get to buy really good plants at super low prices and don’t have to worry about meeting the minimum order requirements that many of the larger wholesaler growers require.
Small plants bring in big money!
Take care and keep making those baby plants! -Mike McGroarty
I bought a Golden Falls Weeping Redbud (5 gallon) online and it’s about 3ft tall. The main trunk was not staked up past about 2ft and is now weeping quite low. The nursery then grabbed a second branch and tied it to the stake but that one too is also hanging low and weeping. They are the only branches on it right now and both are too hard to continue to stake it upwards. I want it to be 8-10′ tall. Should I cut it all back to the 2ft mark and hope a branch comes out the top, or should I wait to see if any branches form on their own from the top? It’s very straight for 2ft then by the nursery grabbing the second branch it has a pretty big S shape. Also when, if at all, should I cut off the weeping branches? They are hanging pretty low, more than half the height of the tree.
I’d just wait for a new branch that you can train upright. Over time you can remove lower branches but keep enough so the tree can go through photosynthesis.
Hi, so our weeping redbud we planted last spring. It is probably 4-5 ft tall, however look at the bamboo stake that it came with it looks like it broke off. I would love for it to get taller maybe another foot so about 6ft or so. Should we untie the stake and reinsert a taller one? Or can we add height a different way? Also with it being a newer plant, should we give it time before we start trimming the branches?
We live in Utah. So we have a few months left before we are truly into spring.
Thanks for your advice.
Moroni,
Just get a longer stake, electrical conduit works great. The sooner you trim the better.
Hello. My lavender twist seems to be growing a different variety of redbud that is not weeping. Is this possible? The branches continue to grow straight up. The leaves are the same type of leaves. What can/do I do?
CC,
Those branches are likely coming from below the bud union. They should be removed, see this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDFbMHOtcK0
Mike,
I have a very healthy vanilla twist that was planted 2 years ago. It’s about 6′ tall and had a ton of growth this year including branches that are weeping toward the ground. There are a few that are slightly touching the ground which is why I’m now writing. Should I trim them now or wait until after it blooms in the spring? We are now in fall in Ohio and some of the nights are getting into the 40’s.
Suzanne,
Trim them now and anytime the tree needs pruning is fine to trim.
Hi Mike, I planted a weeping Redbud last June near Austin, TX. It looked fine until we had the now famous cold weather in February 2021 that wreaked havoc in our state. Now the bottom branches have leafed out but the top half of the tree shows no signs of life. Can I prune off the entire top of the tree without killing it? Need advice please!
Lee,
If the top of the tree is dead you might as well remove it and start training a new branch to a stake to get the height that you want. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Hi there,
We just bought a weeping eastern redbud from a local nursery and it’s about 4’ tall. We choose it because it already has some good looking lines aesthetically but now that I have it home and am reading about how to care care for it I’m worried we won’t be able to stake it taller. The “main” stall is already significantly bent over and weeping downwards towards the ground, it’s branches off a few time and the new growth is far too low to bed up and stake. If I leave it as is and just prune, how much taller will it get? If I did want to stake it to get taller, would I have to cut a significant portion of the main stalk off and re-train the tree as it sprouts new growth? Thanks so much!
Lauren,
If you leave it, it won’t get much taller at all. If you want it taller just put a stake in the ground and as new growth near the top appears start training one leader to the stake and you can get it as high as you want. Later you might remove some of the lower growth and eventually the top will fill in nicely.
Hi Mike
What cultivar is that covey lavender twist weeping redbud in your yard? The reason I ask is that I haven’t seen one with somewhat wide and almost rigid leaves; and thoroughly filled in like yours. Reminds me of the traveller Texas variety but even better. Is it a cross of the two? Anyway, after following your articles, I decided to give this short but majestic looking tree a try. Finding one that looks as good as the one in your pictures have proven to be a challenge. Any info on this will be greatly appreciated.
Austin,
Mine is just that, covey, lavendr twist. But we kept it pruned from the beginning. It takes time to create a head like on any variety. The more you prune it the fuller it gets.
Hi Mike!
I have a Lavender Twist that was already planted when we bought the house. The house is now approx. 7 years old. The previous owners put a corkscrew-shaped metal stake around the trunk and the trunk is now growing around the stake. My first inclination is to saw off the parts of the stake that aren’t in the tree and to leave the rest that’s already being taken over by the tree. I need to know if that’s correct. Also, the tree wasn’t trained to grow upright, but I’ve found a good branch to start training (no corkscrew stakes!). As old at the tree is, how much of the rest of the tree should I remove? I thought about the lowest branches this year and some above that next spring. I also need to know if that’s correct. Thanks a bunch!!!
Juli,
I think all of your ideas are sound. Remove as much of that stake as you can and remove the lower branches some at a time. Pay attention to the top and get it trained up before the new growth gets brittle. They break really easily if you don’t get them when they are soft and nimble.
Hi Mike , I just bought this kind of tree . I planted two days ago ,but today the only branch was broken 😞 could the brunch germinate if I keep it in water? Or should I pant directly in soil?
Sandra,
Trying to root that branch would be a waste of time, it’s not going to work. They are budded or grafted, usually grafted.
Mike I have a question I hope I’m in the right spot I have a weeping lavender twist and I planted itSummer of 2020 and it has no buds here in New Jersey in the sun late March is that normal or is the tree a goner there’s no buds can I move it or do I need to buy a new tree thank you for your help
Karen,
The tree is probably fine, they are late to show any bud swelling. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead. If it’s alive and you want to move it, do it right now before those buds swell.
Hi Mike,
I have a lavender twist tree that I planted early summer 2020. I staked it to get to the desired height (a little under 7ft) but I have the lower branches it came with which grow like an umbrella about 2ft off the ground, and about 3ft up I have another set of branches but they only grow in one plane (left/right nothing front/back) and about 2 ft up the top that is weeping. How much should I trim this spring, I’m worried to cut too much and have an ugly tree? And how do I get the branches to grow on all sides of the tree? I see a lot of buds all over the tree. Do these buds turn into branches?
Thank you for your feedback!
Florentina
Florentina,
Yes, those buds will become branches. Remove some of those lower branches and lightly trim the top branches on a regular basis and the tree will fill out nicely.
Hi Mike,
About 4 years ago, I purchased a lavender twist weeping redbud. I live in North TX area, north of Dallas, just below Oklahoma border.
I had the tree planted in my front yard garden in front of a large window that was bare. The first year it bloomed and each color change seemed as it should. However, this year it never bloomed and the leaves just stayed the lighter green shade. It also lost its attractive weeping shape. Its just growing horizontally and the limbs are hitting the other garden trees/shrubs on either side. Its about 8ft tall now. I need to do something before I can’t hold my husband off from having it removed.
Any suggestions??
Agee,
Just trim it as much as you need to to get it back in shape. You are not going to hurt it. From there trim it a couple of times during the growing season.
Thank you Mike for your response.
I went out looked at it this morning…didn’t know that it is growing from 2 main trunks and one of those has split off into another main trunk. (much to late to braid it as planned when it was first planted).
The main middle branch is standing straight up…no bend at all.
It’s about to freeze here…supposedly on Monday morning, so the plan was to cut off under growth branches today and try to shape it as you suggested, using duct tape. Hopefully I can finish before it rains this afternoon!
Hi Mike,about 4 years ago, I purchased a lavender twist weeping redbud. I live in North TX area, north of Dallas, just below Oklahoma border.
I had the tree planted in my front yard garden in front of a large window that was bare. The first year it bloomed and each color change seemed as it should. However, this year it never bloomed and the leaves just stayed the lighter green shade. It also lost its attractive weeping shape. Its just growing horizontally and the limbs are hitting the other garden trees/shrubs on either side. Its about 8ft tall now. I need to do something before I can’t hold my husband off from having it removed.
Any suggestions??
Hi Mike,about 4 years ago, I purchased a lavender twist weeping redbud. I live in North TX area, north of Dallas, just below Oklahoma border.
I had the tree planted in my front yard garden in front of a larfe window that was bare. The first year it bloomed and each color change seemed as it should. However, this year it never bloomed and the leaves just stayed the lighter green shade. It also lost the weeping shape. Its just horizontal and the limbs are hitting the other garden trees/shrubs on either side. Its about 7ft tall now. I need to do something befire I can’t hold my husband off from having it removed.
Any suggestions??
I have a question. My lavender twist trunk is splitting. Is that a sign of dying? Can I wrap it?
Jade,
Not necessarily. Don’t wrap it but if the split has frayed edges trim them so they are clean and won’t trap water. It should be okay.
Mike,
I bought a lavender twist but is is already trained to be 10ft tall. Taller than I wanted. I was looking for more of a 6-7ft tall tree. Is it okay to cut back the main trunk?
You can, it really won’t hurt it.
Mike,
I was gifted a lavender trust nearly 3 years ago and I staked it and duct taped it like you suggested. However, nothing ever grows on top.. it’s almost “bald” where the branches bend. Any suggestions?
Michele,
Start over with the training and make sure the duct tape is not too tight, just keep training the tree upright by pulling branches upward when they are still soft and pliable. It’s not growing that much maybe it’s not happy where it’s planted. Do not move until winter.
Mike,
I have a weeping red bud that has some under growth that is probable dead. Can I trim it in the spring or do I need to wait until the fall?
Susan,
Trim it anytime you want, you won’t harm the tree.
Hi Mike,
I live near Toronto, Canada which is still an ok zone for growing lavender twists. I planted this beautiful in early May and it’s doing well (almost 5.5 feet tall) despite having a “sucker” growing out of it’s root system up until a month ago. I’m new to gardening and didn’t know that this was not part of the plant until the nursery advised me to cut it immediately as it was sucking the energy out of my lavender. The sucker got to 5 feet tall in no time. Now my leaves are slightly dry, have brown spots on them. Is this normal?
Also, I staked it to train it to grow straight up while still hope;ully retaining it’s character of interesting twists. It’s early fall now, can I cut off some of the lower branches that are close to the ground without disturbing the natural photosynthesis process? Or should I wait until winter when the plant is dormant?
Also, I’d like it to grow taller so I tied some of the more limbs top branches into a make=do sling, attached to a higher point near my roof so as to train these branches to grow upwards. Is this ok or should I simply cut off these branches? It just seems that the crown stopped at 5.5 feet and the plant is just weeping. I’m new to gardening and am a little afraid of cutting off the wrong branches and harming the plant. One branch broke on me as I was staking it because it was too hard so I applied pruning paste to the wound.. Is that fine?
Thanks,
Dominique
Dominique,
Don’t be afraid to trim the tree, you are not going to hurt it. They are aggressive growers, trim those lower branches. Train it to grow as tall as you like. Don’t worry about poor looking leaves, it will be fine in the spring.
Hi Mike,
Thank you so very much for the video! I’m new to the yard/gardening thing as I have lived in apartments most of my life, but purchased a Lavender Twist and planted it last Spring. I live in Zone 5A, and it can get to about -5 to -10 below in the winter (worst case scenario). Anyway, it’s time to put a bigger stake in. When I first planted the tree, it was about 3′ tall. Now it’s right at 6′. Since I’ll be putting a new stake in, can I (gently) add a twist or some shape to the lower portion of the tree & will it stay that way as it grows? Right now it’s going to grow up pretty straight with not much character, and while I’m fine with that too, I like to see character in my trees too 🙂 It’s late fall here and my leaves are looking brownish & wilted. Is this typical of this kind of tree and do they typically regain their color as the season changes back to Spring? One last question, please: I’ve read that these trees do most of their growing in the Spring. Is it ok to trim them when they’re not dormant? Thanks again for the video. I had no idea you could use duct tape and will definitely be using it on this beauty 🙂
Annette,
Really they grow all summer, probably more so in mid summer. You can trim at any time. I wouldn’t attempt to change the shape now. They are brittle and by now the wood has hardened off. You need to train them mid summer when that new growth is still soft and pliable. Any attempt to bend branches this late in the season will for sure end up with a broken branch.
Thank you, Mike. I really appreciate your feedback. I noticed yesterday that one of the branches had been broken off and am concerned it may affect the umbrella-ing (that’s not even a word, I know 😀 ) of my tree. Is there a way I can send you just one photo so I can know your thoughts? Thanks again 🙂
Annette,
No, we review photos in the members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, but I can’t do it here.
Hi Mike. I have a question about my lavender twist weeping redbud, my favorite plant/tree in our yard. This is the 2nd year since it was planted and after it bloomed and started forming the heart shaped leaves, it started growing seed pods. There’s probably close to 100 on it now. It’s only about 5 foot now. I don’t remember seeing these at all last year. Is this common and is there anything I can do with them to try and grow another? By the way your website is where I found info on the tree when I spotted one of them growing. I took pictures and eventually my search brought me here, that was 2 years ago.
Maureen, in Central NJ
Maureen,
The seed pods are normal and you can collect and germinate them in the fall. Just sow in a flat outside for the winter. What comes up is anybody’s guess.
Mike,
I purchased a lavender twist last year, watched your video and staked it with duct tape. August will be the exact year mark. Should I remove the duct tape and the bamboo stake? Worried it will fall to the ground , as it is still a thin stick. Leaves are beautiful and heart shaped, however. Just not sure what to do at the year mark.
Thanks!
Mchele,
For sure remove the tape and it’s really thin put on new tape, just one loose wrap. Also, if you want more height out of the tree just tie up another branch to the stake.
Hi Mike!
I planted a Lavender Twist Redbud back in the spring and I have a few concerns about my tree. I live in eastern NC (Zone 7-8) and our soil is a mix between clay/sand/dirt. I planted the tree in the front yard, which receives full sun. When I planted the tree it was a twig with a root system. The trunk of the tree has thickened and with a few branches towards the top. I have noticed that there are several buds along the branches and the trunk- I believe that this will probably be new growth next spring. My concern is this: the leaves. The leaves are terribly looking…what I think of as “burnt.” They are crunchy feeling with black and brown spots, as well as holes. I’m concerned that I planted my tree in the wrong location and now I’m afraid to move it because I’ve heard that this particular tree is tempermental and does not like to be moved. I am also afraid of shocking the roots if I dig it up and move it only after about 6 months of being in the ground. Any assistance/feedback you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks!
Amber,
It’s been a rough summer! As long as your tree is alive I’d say it is just fine. Just let it go dormant, trim as needed. Come spring it will probably be awesome. That’s when you really have to stay on top of the pruning and training. When they are happy they grow quickly. I’d say the location you selected is probably fine. Make sure the to mulch around the tree now, that helps a great deal.
Hi Mike,
I was introduced to the lavender twist via your site. As soon as I saw it I had to have it thus I ordered one online.
When it arrived this past March, it was just a 6 ft twig with a little bit of root. Planted it accordingly and within a couple weeks leaves started sprouting. So exciting to me.
Anyhow, it has completely stopped growing. It’s alive and well but at a standstill.
Any suggestions? Is this normal since it’s still in its infancy stage?
All feedback/advice is appreciated!
Thanks,
Penny
I’m zone 8 by the way.
Penny,
If it still has leaves, the roots are not too wet or too dry I wouldn’t be concerned. It should take off like a rocket in the spring. Be prepared then to trim, shape and train it.
I came across your post on training the Lavender Twist redbud. I do notice that it has been posted for some time and you may not be able to answer. I have an LT that’s several years old and it has NOT been trained. 🙂 It’s very weepy and maybe it’s too late to make changes. My concern is that it’s putting out upright branches/sprouts that are not weepy. What would be the proper way to handle this situation? Or should I do anything at all?
Pam,
Those upright branches should be removed they must be coming from below the graft union. Remove them completely. As for the rest of the plant a branch could be trained upright and the rest of the plant trimmed up some, but I’m not sure that it would ever look “right” because it should have been trained upright a long time ago.
Mike,
I read on a post that you had a very good friend that were twisting a couple of trees together and it worked. I think they were Japanese Maples. Could you please give he his e-mail address. Thanks Mike
Kenneth,
Here’s that post. http://japanesemaplelovers.com/braiding-japanese-maple-trees/
Hi Mike!
Loved the training video for the weeping Lavender Twist Redbud. Bought and planted mine along with a Black Locust Twisty Baby side by side this Spring in Sacramento CA. Both trees are gaining lots of new growth and good healthy green color. Our Winters here get down to 30 for about 7 or 8 days but are generally in the low 40’s at night. My Redbud is about 5′ tall. Can I get it to 6′ or 7′ by training? I don’t want it to lose that crazy twisted shape. Texture and form are the most important requirements in my garden. I have Jacobs Walking Stick too.
Great video thanks!
Sandra
Sandra,
Yes you can make it taller. Just grab a limber branch and train it up right. It will look strange at first, but once that branch fills in you won’t notice.
Hi Mike, I live in So Cal and in the process of replacing my current landscape with “water-wise” landscape. I’ve seen previous posts that So Cal may not be the best place for a Weeping Redbud, but my research indicates Zone 10 is acceptable. Let me know if you do not agree. Also, my main question is can I train a Weeping Redbud to be “waterwise”?
India,
I don’t know that I can answer your questions. I’m the redbud would be okay in your heat, but it does need to go dormant for the winter so it can rest. It takes temps below 30 degrees to trigger dormancy. As far as water wise, I can’t honestly say.
Hi Mike.I bought a lavender twist weeping redbud three years ago this year a little more than half the tree had purple flowers on it should I wait for the heart shaped leaves and if I don’t see leaves on the branches should I prune them.I had more purple flowers on it last year I hope it’s not dying on me the tree is seven foot tall and three feet wide thanks Mike
Ernest,
Yes, wait for the leaves to appear or not. You can also scratch the bark. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead. Just prune away anything that is dead, the prune the tree for balance as needed. It should be fine with some time.
Hi Mike, I bought a lavender twist a couple of years ago, though it was young it was looking great. This past winter I found the tree laying in the lawn, I am not sure if the dog ran into it and snapped it or what happened, but it was broken off near the base. There was a upshoot growing on the side and that seemed to make it through the winter but it is about seven feet tall and straight up in the air with nothing comming of of it but two more little upstoots on the bottem. It doesn’t look like it is going to weep on its own.. Is there something I should be doing with this? I really loved the tree and would like to save it.
Susie,
It’s sounds to me like the grafted part of the plant died and snapped off. The shoots coming from the base, if growing straight up on their own are not lavender twist at all, but just redbud branches. What you have left is a multi stem redbud tree. There’s nothing you can do to make those weep. They don’t know how. The actual lavender Twist part of the plant is gone.
Aw, I am sad to hear that. I guess I will have to buy another one and try again. I really loved the uniqueness of this particular tree. Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I really appreciate your advice.
Take care.
Hi Mike! My lavender twist is about two years old. I just trimmed it today as it was so thick and lying all around on the ground you couldn’t see the trunk. I’m wondering if I can cut back some of the lower branches to make it more like your tree above?
Dorene,
Yes, you most certainly can, you will not harm the tree.
Bought 2 4-foot Lavender Twist Red bud trees last Spring. I live in the Detroit area. The trees did pretty well throughout the summer. I have been trying to train them to stand tall and straight but unfortunately broke a branch off pining it up to make the tree taller. Do new branches grow out from the top? I trimmed all the lower branches off in November and kept a few upper branches. Plan to trim it into an umbrella shape when it is taller and more upper branches developed. Any tips to do this?
Natalie,
You’ll be fine, just wait for new growth, grab one of those branches and train it to the stake. They grow quickly. But you have to be on top of it and tie those branches while they are still limber. They harden off quickly.
most helpful video I’ve seen….thanks so much
Our home is in Columbus, Ohio. We are interested in purchasing a lavender twist redbud to train as a tree. Are there any suppliers in or near Columbus, Ohio? Our zip code is 43209.
Thanks for any information.
Jeff
Jeff,
I’m sure there are plenty of growers and retailers in your area that have them, you just have to call or look around.
I have a weeping redbud that I had planted about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, the gardener/landscaper did not stake it. I currently is only about 4 ft. tall, and the trunk is about 4″ in diameter. It is pretty full, but I trim it so that it doesn’t touch the ground (about 5″ from the ground). I want to stake some of the newer branches so that they reach out, and possibly up. Is it too late to attempt to train it? Would I be able to take one of these branches and train it up (sort of like an ‘S’)? What would be the best thing to stake it with, since the branches are older?
Bev,
Yes, if you can pull one of those branches upright you can get more height from your tree. Stake it with Electrical conduit.
I brought a 5 ft laveder twist red bud six months ago and is now dying ( the top branches show no inside green stuff, after scrapping the outer bark. . The bottom main trunk still have green color stuff inside , after scrapping the bark off) at Los Angeles, California. Does Los Angeles has the right zoning condition for red bud? How can I save the remaining red bud? Cut off the top branches and pot it again?
My landscaping agent said it is not suitable for South Californian zone and insisted for me to replace it with a Gingko Bilola Jade butterfly tree. I still love the lavender redbud. Please give me your advice.
Do you have California retailers for red bud?
Esther,
Your landscaper is probably right, I suspect that southern California is not the best place for a Lavender Twist Redbud tree. It sounds to me like your tree dried out if it’s dead at the top and not the bottom. Keeping plants in pots is really, really challenging.
I bought a Lavender Twist a few years ago. It was a stick with some roots. It is now about 4.5′ to 5′ tall and I am getting some nice leaves but it has never bloomed. Do I need to do something for it to bloom in the spring?
Peg,
You do not, it will bloom profusely, just give it some time. Probably next spring.
This is my first year with a Lavender Twist, we planted it last fall. The spring brought beautiful flowers, now it is getting the leaves on it but they don’t look like hearts. Does it take a while for the leaves to look like hearts? They are small in shape also. Can something be eating them? I have not seen any bugs on it. It sits under a lamp post too, is this a bad pace for it? Light is on it all night.
Ann,
My guess is the tree is just fine. Make sure it’s not planted to deep and has enough water. If both of those things are fine, just give it time.
Hi Mike,
We justed planted a 6 ft lavender twist and it is weeping and staked straight as well, is there anyway I can trim/prune it at this age to make it more tree like? Do I just cut the branches shorter? If so, when?
Thanks!
Nadia,
Ideally you should be trimming your lavender twist every few weeks when it is young. Keep in mind, it will never look like a normal tree, it’s going to weep like an umbrella. But it needs to be trimmed to get to that shape.
Wonderful info! Mike or any other expert….
I have one of these beautiful trees and am realizing this Spring that it needs to be trimmed. Many branches are touching the ground. Can I trim in the Spring? If so, any special tips for this time of year? I do understand the optimal time is when it’s in dormant state, just hoping to begin shaping it a little sooner if possible.
thanks!
KC
KC,
Please, please, please trim that Lavender Twist. Do not wait for the optimal time. Just trim it. I trim 365 days a year if I see something that needs to be trimmed. Not trimming a Lavender Twist when it needs it is borderline criminal!
Gosh! I will. So glad I asked. I only found folks talking about optimal time. My tree appreciates it Mike!!
I planted a lavender twist about 12 years ago. We had a hurricane a few years back and torn the tree to it’s roots. It has started growing again but the main stalk that is left wants to go down and is already in that shape. Should I just ignore the main trunk and start staking up the off shoots? I have tried pulling and pushing the old trunk upward but it does not appear to be working.
Susie,
Just start training a branch that is limber enough to do so.
If there are multiple limber shoots, should I just select one and cut off the others or try to get all 3 shoots to snake around the same stake?
Susie,
That’s a good question. The multiple shoots would make for a very interesting tree down the road. Me? I might be inclined to do that.
Is it possible to graft a red twigged dogwood bush to a yellow twigged dogwood bush? Thanks Mike
Mike,
Interesting question and I can only guess. But I would say that they should be compatible.
Hey this is a lovely tree were can i find one in canada ontario?
Mike,
I’m sure they are available in your area in Canada, you’ll just have to do some calling around.
Rachel answered my question. I have a wistera that I want to try this on. It should look good. Also I want to try grafting a crape mertle.Would it be possible to get a tree with more than one color of flower?
Bob, If you want to graft additional colors onto a Crape Myrtle I don’t see why it can’t be done. Fruit trees are often budded with 5 different kids of apples on one tree. Dogwoods are budded so they flower both pink and white.
Thanks Mike for all the wonderful info/tips you send, including on this beautiful weeping redbud! Do you know anyone in Connecticut who might sell this gorgeous plant?
Marge, I’m sure they are available in your area. Call your local nurseries and ask.
Another great video Mike. Thanks for the great tips!
I would like to know where I can buy any and all of the plants. I have had your information for a long time and have never found where to buy. Thanks Brenda
Brenda, if you have my Backyard Growing System, http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm, it comes with a directory of wholesale suppliers which is the list of where I buy any plants that I need for my nursery. You can also buy from other members, and you have also received information about that with the system as well.
OMG….how beautiful. I want one too. Hope it will grow in Florida.
Hi Mike,
I’m doing the same thing with a wisteria tree it looked as if was dying and my husband wanted to trash it but with a little TLC it started growing like crazy. Vines were going every where. I started training and cutting it shaping it like a tree and its doing wonderful next year when it blooms I will send you some photos. Thanks for all your tips.
Rachel, Nice job! Good for you, but don’t send the photos, I do do my own Email. I just don’t have the time. That’s why I try and answer questions here. And I spend a great deal of time answering question for those who have my system http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm
looks good did not know how to try a weeping tree….
Hi Mike!
I have some regular redbud tree seeds in a paper bag in the garage. I live in PA and I realize these seeds need stratification. If I want to start from seed, what would be your suggestion. I did read online that you have soak the seed and to “scratch” the covering of the seed for good germination. Seems like a lot of work……
Thanks for any suggestions.
Lori Shellenberger
Lori, your comment, “seems like a lot of work” makes you understand why plants are priced as they are. I’d treat the Redbud seeds just like I would a Japanese Maple Seed. Details here: http://www.freeplants.com/growing-japanese-red-maples.htm
Thanks Mike!
I will give it a try. I really appreciate your help and I think you are doing a great thing here!!!!!
mike,
I actually have one of these trees, mine is about 5ft. tall. Will it get much taller or do i have to stake it if i want it taller? Also, is this a grafted tree? I am asking because I’m wondering if it seeds true to form or does it seed as a regular redbud?
Bob, your Weeping Redbud will not grow any taller unless you stake it and train it to grow taller. They are either grafted or budded and will not come true from a seed. They are also patented so we cannot propagate them. Which is just as well. I let somebody else do all of the tedious work of growing out a seedling then budding or grafting on to the seedling. I just buy small plants that are about 18″ tall and grow them on from there. Which is what most nurseryman do. It cuts way down on the time that it actually takes to produce a plant.
What Jenn said. I’m on my third fall season with my little twist, and will start pruning the inner branches soon. Thanks Mike!
that is SWEEEET my wfie just got to have one now hey THANK for all the tips and info you been sending we be getting your DVD after X-MAS THANK again have a good one everybody we going to bed we got some garden to do tomowwer have a nice day
Oh WOW, that is amazing!!!! My favorite tree is the Weeping Willow, but I don’t have room for one in my yard. But these excite me! I’ve got to have one, I have just the spot in my front yard & I can have my own mini willow….. Thank you Mike for showing us this wonderful plant….:)
LOL…just saw what Rick said above! Glad I’m not the only bonsai enthusiast sneaking glances at the the bigger trees…hehehe! ;):D
Hello Mike! What an awesome redbud! Plant envy indeed! Oddly enough, I was reading last night about how to prune and train a bonsai Dwarf Ficus when you want to change the direction/orientation of the lead branch or remove the lead branch and create a new one. What you were doing with your redbud, when you pruned and staked it, is almost identical to what was being done to the Dwarf Ficus on a much smaller scale. How cool is that, huh? Anyway, we have a lot of Eastern Redbud around here where I live and I’ve noticed they’ve seed crazy this year and are hanging full! Are they always so prolific or was this year an unusual one?
Love your videos!
Peace and Blessings.
Grace, for the most part they usually do seed really well. For one thing, I noticed this spring that despite the crazy weather, warm then freezing, the redbud blooms seem to be unaffected. Most other flowers like Weeping Cherry, Magnolia and Forsythia the flowers we gone with the slightest frost. But not the redbud.
It is just me or is the sound not working on your video about the lavender twist redbud tree? I thoroughly appreciate all the information you so freely give. Thank you.
Judy, it’s probably a setting on your computer, I’m not that easy to shut up. Try plugging in headphones, sometimes the headphone jack locks out the sound.
I haven’t seen this plant before. When is
it time for the plant to flower.
Thanks
Ronel
Ronel, Redbud trees bloom in the early spring before the tree even has leaves. That’s what makes it so interesting. The flowers appear to be glued to the branches.
My LT is 5 years old this summer this is the first spring it didn’t bloom. Is something wrong. I live in NY we had a lot of snow this winter. The leaves are coming out now.
Andrea,
That’s really unusual. Possibly a late freeze got to those flower buds.
Will they grow in Southwest Florida?
Charlie
Charlie,
What zone are you in? Zone 10? Probably too hot. They are a deciduous tree and really need to go dormant for the winter.
That is a beautiful plant I will have to try
and find one.It will be so much fun to train
and watch it grow .
This sort of supported training and shaping is a form of bonsai! When the plants are dug out of the ground, their roots will get pruned back too. Mike — I was wondering if you pre-prune the roots with an edger all around each plant some time ahead of digging them up into containers or burlap? Would you do it a full year ahead of time? Of course, pre-pruning the roots trains them into a more concentrated clump so the plant can handle the shock of transplanting better.
Mike, you know I live in a camper, and I might not have an internet connection at my next stop… so if you do answer my questions I may not see your reply for a while… but at least everyone else will!!! Thanks for being who you are! I almost feel like I’m a part of the family, even though I live alone out on the road. From the beautiful mountains of the Cumberland Gap region of Kentucky (at the moment), Rick
Rick, great question about root pruning. Do we pre-prune before digging. It’s rarely done that way because usually the plant has gone through a root development process while it was being grown. Small trees are often grown in air pruning containers that actually air prune the roots when the plant is small, making for a much better root system.
Often times before a tree is actually planted in the field it has been transplanted a few times, that also helps to build a better root system. But I have seen one local nursery go through a field of Canadian Hemlocks with an undercutting blade to root prune all of the trees in the field.
Since most plants, especially deciduous plants are dug when dormant they handle the shock of having some roots cut in the digging process pretty well.
where can we buy these trees??? we live in south louisiana, will they do well here??? they r beautiful!!!
Jennifer, I just told Charlie that they may not do well in zone 10 but now that I think about it, they actually are easier to propagate in zones 7 and 8 so I’d call around and see if any of the plant retailers near you have them.
The Lavender Twist Redbud is the tree that made me discover your site for the very first time, and when I saw how you had pruned yours into such a delightful shape, I simply had to have one of my own. I searched all over creation for them (they weren’t so popular a few years ago), and after much frustration, on a fluke I discovered a nursery a few miles down the road selling them!
Unfortunately the trees had not been trained well, and they were all sorts of droopy, with leaves trailing on the ground and just looking like a mess. Well, we bought one, planted it, waited a full year for it to get established (perhaps I was being overly cautious, but I knew I would be pruning it back hard), and just this summer, after it had fully “leafed out,” I began to prune it into a delightful little dome shape like yours.
Your pic is what made me fall in love with this tree in the first place, and now I get SO MANY COMPLIMENTS from people who come over! It’s in a special spot in the corner of our front landscaping bed, so it coordinates well with the landscaping but still gets noticed and gets to shine on its own. It’s an absolute DELIGHT to have and care for.
I have to admit, I was a bit scared to prune it. It seems to be a bit of a delicate plant…sometimes random branches will just die off for no apparent reason (this happened even before I began pruning). But it looks SO much better now that it’s been delightfully shaped. I am looking forward to seeing it fill in a bit next summer. Before long, I’m sure I’ll have a beautiful, bushy, dome-shaped eye-catcher in my front yard!
Thanks for all the information you share! I love reading your emails!
Blessings, Jenn
Would a tree like that be able to grow in Duluth MN? It gets pretty cold here by Lake Superior 🙂
Teresa, they are cold rated to zone 5. You are probably zone 4. Zone map for the United States:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Zone map for Canada:
http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml
Zone 3…too cold. It’s a nice plant though and thank you for the many helpful hints.
This tree is a pretty one and keeping it cleaned up is the right thing to do! High or low a tree is a tree and should look like one. Not a ground creeper. There are certain weepers that look great when you let them go like a norway spruce. But leafed varieties are much more attractive trimmed up! Well that is my opinion.
HAppy gardening!
Very interesting plant. Would like to have one myself. Thanks for the information.!
I guess what I would like to know is where do you start? do you start with a Lilac branch or what?
Gary, Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud is a patented plant. It’s against the law to propagate it unless you have a license to do so. So you have to start with a plant that was propagated from by a licensed grower. Then you simply train the tree as I am doing in the video.
What a great way to begin thinking about how to take your plant sales to the next level–by creating and offering unique and beautiful plants which can command a higher profit margin. Thanks Mike.
Bought a 3′ redbud this year. After trying unsuccessfully to propagate from a cutting from a friends tree. It’s doing OK, still in the pot waiting for someone to dig a hole for it.
But what I would really like to know is: Is it possible to strike them from cuttings.
I really enjoy all your mails. Regret not being equipped to go into this more than being an appreciative observer. Thanks so much for sharing.
Sophia, most common Redbud Trees are grown from seed. Will they root from a cutting? Maybe if you take a softwood cutting in June and use this http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
Plant envy is right! The tree is gorgeous! Thanks for all your tips; I really enjoy all of your tips. Keep them coming!
I’d love to have on of the lavender twist for my yard where can I find on in Ga
Dawn, check with our growers in Georgia, I know some of them like Mrinali have them at different times.