I must confess that the primary motivation for planting Eastern Redbud is the ornamental loveliness. Combine that with the petite size of the tree, and there is no shortage of redbud trees in ladscapes. However, the delight that eclipses any lovely lawn with a single tree is driving past miles of blooming redbud trees along the highway. This tree is called "redbud", because the buds have a reddish color. Then, the flowers are a rich raspberry-pink color.
Several sources report that Native Americans ate the flowers of this tree, and also roasted and ate the seeds. The USDA says that the Native Americans made a tea from the bark to treat fevers, chest congestion and whooping cough!
Some sources report that the bark may be high in saponins, which could be harmful in large amounts, so read, read, read, and proceed cautiosly when trying herbal remedies!
A few resources: