I’ve just planted a Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’ in a garden I’ve been working in. As I finished, the sun came out illuminating its wonderful foliage with the autumn light. Heart-shaped leaves jiggled around in the breeze in gorgeous shades of orange, red, yellow and purple. This dramatic shrub (or small tree) is grown for its beautiful foliage, although it flowers profusely too. Tiny, deep pink, pea-like flowers appear ahead of the foliage in spring and hang in tight clusters on the dark branches. The leaves emerge a glossy, vibrant ruby red and darken to a purple plum colour by the summer.

Also known as North American Redbud, this large shrub is usually multi-stemmed and forms a bushy, rounded shape. Pruning should be minimal and kept to removing dead wood and overcrowded or long branches that spread over paths. The best leaf colour is obtained when it is planted in an open sunny position but it will tolerate semi shade.

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ has the RHS Award of Garden Merit.