Rise & Shine™ Redbud

The Rise & Shine Redbud is a tree that can light up a landscape from early spring through summer. Similar to the popular Rising Sun redbud, rise and shine emerges orange and will transition to yellow and bright green all on the same branch. However, as summer sets in, the leaves of the Rise and Shine Redbud remain golden. Literally lighting up your landscape with a spectrum of golden yellows, greens and oranges. This cascade of color provides captivating depth to the already gorgeous heart-shaped redbud leaves. It will also produce the classic redbud flowers of purple, pink that cluster along the branches in early spring.

Rise & Shine was discovered by Ray and Cindy Jackson of Jackson Nursery, who also discovered the Rising Sun Dogwood, Ragin' Red Dogwood and Blue Ray Kousa. They think it is an outstanding variant of the traditional Rising Sun and love the always golden coloration of the leaves.

Since the foliage on the Rise & Shine features many colors, but stays a strong golden chartreuse, we suggest pairing with non-variegated deep greens, purples or pinks along with hardscaping and a dark color mulch to provide a consistent base and let it shine. Rise and Shine is a native cultivar, and pairs well with other native perennials when the goal is a native North American garden. 

Rise and Shine does well in both full sun and partial sun, but can struggle to get settled in in hot bright conditions with overly dry and poor soil. Proper fertilization is also important. The more new growth on the tree the more color you will see - you can find more information about how to plant and fertilize on the tab labeled "Care" below.

General care for any tree or shrub is easy, but like any living thing will require your attention. Please educate yourself and follow these simple rules.

Rise & Shine™ Redbud

Soil quality and how to plant the Rise and Shine Redbud

The Rise and Shine, like most redbud trees prefers consistently moist soil that is rich in organic matter, but can do well in a wide range of soils. Soil compaction will restrict growth and should be addressed by digging as large a hole as possible. We recommend a minimum of 3x3 ft. and digging at least 18 inches deep to break up the soil. Remove the grass, but retain as much of the original soil from the grass clumps as possible. A higher quality soil can be supplemented, but use no more than a 30% new to 70% original soil ratio. Too much new soil can cause water to pool in the hole, which will drown and kill the plant. With redbuds, mulching is extremely important (especially in the early years) as it suppresses grass and weeds, retains moisture, improves soil quality and reduces the chances of compaction from foot or mower traffic. For more specific details on how to plant see our guide.

When to fertilize the Rise and Shine Redbud

The Rise and Shine depends on new growth for it to maintain it's spectacular appearance, so fertilizer is recommended for optimal growth. A soil test is recommend for accurate fertilization, but a general NPK + micronutrients slow release fertilizer will cover the basis if a test is not performed. We recommend a 10-11 month slow release fertilizer be applied each year as a top dress in the mulch around the growing area. Apply this fertilizer prior to spring, so that the tree has access to nutrients in the spring and fall growing periods.

How and when to prune the Rise and Shine Redbud

Pruning can be a challenge for new gardeners, so unless you are experienced, we recommend limiting pruning to a few branches each season. Pruning can be done during the winter months, but will rob you of the newest blooms. Pruning can also be done in late spring, after the blooms fade. Try to focus on branches that cross into the tree or create a steep V as these can create rubs, restrain growth on the central leader, and lead to breakage. Prune branches that are lower to the the ground to allow for space under the tree for mowing and and a more tree-like appearance. Most redbuds will grow shoots around the base of the tree, trim these back as low to the ground as possible each season. I've seen shoots grow almost to the size of a small tree within a few months, so get them as early as you can. When pruning take care to prune branches when they are as small as possible and take no more than 1/3 of the branches from a tree in one season.