Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud

When you think of April in the Washington, D.C. area, you often think of the cherry trees surrounding the tidal basin. While an amazing sight to see, there are native, flowering trees, like the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) that also come alive during the month of April.

In early April, one just needs to drive through Arlington National Cemetery to see redbuds scattered throughout the cemetery, with the largest and oldest trees located in Sections 13 and 34. It's hard to miss the pink-purple flower buds bursting directly out of the stems and bark (as opposed to the tip of the stem); extremely uncommon in trees