Friends of Montclair Library

The new California-native Western redbud tree the Hillside Gardeners planted on the library’s front patio is only a few feet tall so far, but it’s already getting its first bright magenta blooms, a hint of great things to come. Take a peek next time you’re entering or exiting the library.

Cool facts about redbuds from the National Arbor Day Foundation: “Early settlers found the blossoms of the [Eastern] redbud a delicious addition to their salads. Early folk healers used the bark to treat common maladies…And many Native Americans chose the wood of the California redbud for their bows.”