Velvet hearts is a hard to find green, purple and red colored redbud where the newest leaves start with the appearance of red velvet cake and transition back to darker purple and then ultimately green as they age. The underside of the purple leaves are especially striking often holding the red velvet cake color for an extended period of time. In early spring bright purple/pink redbud blooms emerge in clusters that light up the landscape. From spring to fall heart shaped leaves emerge in a multitude of colors with the newest growth emerging red, transitioning to purple and then to green. This cascade of color and the small size of Sparkling Wine make it a great tree for foundation plantings or for occupying the center of garden beds. One of the things we really like this cultivar is how the velvet red color swirls and pops in a gentle breeze. The leaves keep a velvety matte texture, unlike it's sibling 'Sparkling Wine', which is a texensis hybrid with glossy leaves. Velvet Hearts was discovered by some of our favorite people, Jeremiah, Ray and Cindy Jackson of Jackson Nursery, who also discovered the Rising Sun Redbud. This one is 100% attributed to Ray and Cindy's son Jeremiah, so as they say "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree..." or "The seed doesn't fall far from the tree farmer?" We are thrilled to bring this new offering from them to market and we think it will be an outstanding landscape specimen for years to come.As a native cultivar, Velvet Hearts provides the same ecological benefits as the straight species. According to research by Dr. Doug Tallamy, eastern redbud serves as a larval host plant for approximately 19-24 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), including Henry's elfin butterfly and three specialist moth species—the redbud leaffolder, promiscuous angle, and Cenopis chambersana—whose caterpillars feed exclusively on redbud foliage [1]. The early spring flowers provide critical nectar for emerging pollinators when few other food sources are available, including the southeastern blueberry bee (Habropoda laboriosa), a specialist pollinator that forages on redbud before blueberries bloom. Additional pollinators include carpenter bees, bumble bees, mason bees, and various native mining and sweat bees [2]. Hummingbirds also visit the flowers for early-season nectar. The seeds attract finches, juncos, nuthatches, cardinals, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and wild turkeys, while caterpillars feeding on the foliage become essential protein for songbirds raising their young. By selecting Velvet Hearts, you're not just adding a beautiful ornamental tree—you're establishing a native plant that supports complex food webs throughout the growing season.[1] Tallamy, D.W. 2009. Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Updated and Expanded Edition. Timber Press, Portland, OR.[2] Xerces Society, "From the Field: Trees for Bees". Photo Credit: With permission from Jackson Nursery
