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Botanical Name: Cercis canadensis f. alba 'Royal White'
Common Name: Royal White Eastern Redbud
Nativity: E. & C. North America
Location: Kendal
'Royal White’ was discovered as a seedling of Cercis canadensis f. alba (Tree #5) in 1940 by plant breeder Mr. Royal Oakes of Bluffs, Illinois and introduced by the late plantsman Dr. J.C. McDaniel of the University of Illinois. In comparison, ‘Royal White’ is a more compact tree, blooms earlier in the season, is more floriferous, and produces larger flowers. The heart-shaped young leaves are bronze-colored, mature to a dark green, then turn to shades of yellow in the fall. The white, pea-like flowers appear in clusters all along the naked branches. Since the tree was found in Bluffs, Illinois, it possesses superior cold hardiness. Mature size is about 15 to 25 feet high and 15 to 25 feet wide; hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9.