I don't know about you, but I find the color of red wine to be particularly soothing. I won't be too detailed about why, but holding a glass to the light and gazing into its depths always reveals a splendid array of red and purple hues. If I could capture this experience in a tree it would be the Merlot redbud through the growing season. Merlot is a smaller cultivar than forest pansy that has some of the characteristics of the Oklahoma or Texas redbuds. This means that the leaves are thicker and have an attractive glossy sheen. It also means that the tree is slightly less cold hardy, but much more tolerant of drought. For those looking to grow a beautiful nativar that doesn't require water maintenance in the summer Merlot is an excellent choice. Unlike the forest pansy, Merlot stays considerably smaller, in size it's much more comparable to the rising sun redbud than it is the other larger cultivars. During the growing season (especially in fertile conditions) Merlot will maintain bright red/purple leaves. Like the forest pansy, the depth of color depends on the amount of sun that the leaves receive. In full sun the leaves will transition to a deep green with brighter green veins. In full shade, they will remain more purple with green veins. Like all redbud trees, the for pansy has captivating heart shaped leaves and small bright purple flower clusters. Redbuds are hearty and disease resistant trees, and can tolerate a wide range of soil and light conditions.
