THE TREES OF ATLANTA

Cercis canadensis
I was jogging the other day in Atlanta, and as I jogged underneath a particular tree’s foliage, I looked up to discover it was a lovely eastern redbud that in the July heat retained its seed pods, and these dangled from the branches like grayish-brown ears that had been severed from a people likely slaughtered, like those of the natives who once inhabited this vicinity, and these seed-ears were all lined up and drying. Eastern Redbud is becoming more popular in the nursery trade in the Deep South. I suppose this is because in spring, eastern redbud sprouts beautiful pink flowers all over. It’s one of the earliest splashes of color after a long and dreary February. It’s a birthday party in a tree, like it’s the tree’s birthday, and the tree is celebrating. I cannot help but think of celebrating trees. Thanks for that eastern redbud. Here’s something fun: This tree is also known as the "Judas-tree" because it is thought that the Apostle, Judas Iscariot hung himself on a branch of an Eastern Redbud. Also: Native Americans consumed redbud flowers raw or boiled, and ate the seeds, roasted.