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Glite Dictionary
Cercis siliquastrum

Cercis siliquastrum

9.9
A small tree with many purple-pink flowers that grow on old branches before the leaves, often grown in mild gardens
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : cercis
  • Visitors admired the brilliant blossoms covering the old trunks of the Cercis siliquastrum.

Examples

  • The Cercis siliquastrum is often planted in gardens for its striking floral display each spring.

  • The Cercis siliquastrum blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Wood from the Cercis siliquastrum is valued for its use in fine veneers.

  • Have you ever seen a Cercis siliquastrum in full bloom?

  • The Cercis siliquastrum is known for its stunning display of purplish-red flowers that bloom before the leaves.

  • In the park, the Cercis siliquastrum tree dazzled visitors with its vibrant flowers appearing directly from the old wood.

  • Gardeners love to choose the Cercis siliquastrum for its early spring blooms that add color to landscapes.

Synonyms

Judas tree
vsCercis siliquastrum
8.7

A small tree from the eastern Mediterranean with many purplish-red flowers on its trunk and branches before the leaves appear

is the scientific botanical name for the same species
love tree
vsCercis siliquastrum
  • UK
9.3

A small tree with bright purplish-red flowers that grow on its stems before leaves appear

is the scientific botanical name rather than a casual common name

Surface Forms

Cercis siliquastrum singular
Cercis siliquastrums plural

Morphology

Cercis + siliquastrum

This is a Latin binomial (scientific name) rather than a compositional English phrase: knowing 'Cercis' only indicates the genus (redbuds) but the species epithet 'siliquastrum' is not an English word and gives no transparent semantic content to a B1 learner. Scientific names are language-neutral labels that identify taxa but do not allow learners to infer the descriptive meaning (small Mediterranean tree with purplish-red flowers) from the constituents.

Etymology

Cercis siliquastrum may come from old words where Cercis suggests a sewing 'shuttle' and siliquastrum points to a 'pod', because the tree makes long, bean-like pods and bright flowers that grow right on its old wood before the leaves. So the name gives a clear picture of this small tree known for its early purple-red blossoms and pods.