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The Year of the Redbud! - By Linda Gast
 

The Redbud trees and bushes line both sides of Ben Hur Road.

In an earlier article I said that every wildflower season is different and special.  Well, this is definitely the year of the Redbud. They are at their peak and there is no better place to see them than along Ben Hur Road.  They are set amongst the hills and rocks all along the road.    The redbud tree needs a winter chill for the flower buds to set properly.  Maybe that long freeze we had this winter is the reason they are so profuse.  This spectacle is really true when these native California plants reach a mature size of 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. They generally attain this rare size in fertile, sheltered and well-drained wild areas near streams. They grow in California's low mountains below 4,500 feet, in the drier foothills and along the state's valley floors. They grace virtually the entire state, from Mount Shasta to San Diego.   Drive down Highway 49 South of Mariposa to Ben Hur Road and see them now as the blooms will be gone in another week.

The Redbud loves to grow in the cracks between the rocks. This Redbud seems to be growing out of the top of a rock.  It is really one of those 20 footers growing behind the rock. The Redbud likes well drained soil, but often grows along the banks of creeks.

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All photos and articles - Copyright Linda Gast

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