Re: Hybridization in the genus Cersis

I do not know about any hybridizing by people but several good redbuds have been found and introduced here in east Tennessee. We got Appalachian pink which is really pink not the heavy color of the regular redbud. There is a nursery here that has the colored leaves, of course white bloomed one, prostrate one....it is really coarse and huge and better for larger spaces than where I have seen them planted...by or over a pool. So are these chance crosses like out on the hillside or man made crosses? A really little one would be nice for a garden, I think. 
Nancy Robinson  Tennessee zone 6a
----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Martinson" <llmen@wi.rr.com> 
To: <woodyplants@hort.net>
Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2010 1:33 PM
Subject: Hybridization in the genus Cersis



List's been quite for awhile, so I guess I need to post some questions.

Some years ago, I purchased, from Arrowhead Alpines, seedlings supposedly
originating from a deep purple flowered cultivar of Cercis siliquastrum from Afganistan. I hoped that if, planted in a sheltered spot, it might survive, 
if only with the help of global warming.  But with our Wisconsin winters
still reaching -10F, it died to to the ground each winter, but reliably
sprouted from the roots in the spring. As this species blooms on old wood, my only option was to pot it up and try to over winter it indoors. Success 
the first winter!

However, my question is twofold:

Is there any evidence of the two common species, C. canadensis and C.
siliquastrum being able to hybridize?  Not that I'll ever get the chance,
but who knows.
Second, I have seen reference to treating C. siliquastrum as a bonsai. Any comments? I suppose I'll have to join a Bonsai Group for more information, 
but I'm so over-inundated with information (and my cerebral cortex keeps
giving that message "Insufficient memory at this time".

Thanks for any help you folks can give.

Don Martinson
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mailto:llmen@wi.rr.com

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