Franklinia alatamaha

Franklinia, Franklin Tree

Theaceae

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Habitat

  • native to southeastern United States
  • zone 5

Habit and Form

  • a small deciduous tree
  • 15' to 25' tall
  • almost as wide
  • rounded to conical dense crown
  • upright
  • medium texture
  • slow growth rate

Summer Foliage

  • alternate leaf arrangement
  • simple, deciduous leaves
  • oblong leaf shape
  • 4" to 8" long
  • serrate leaf margin
  • bright green leaf color

Autumn Foliage

  • orange-red fall color
  • showy

Flowers

  • white flowers
  • blooms in summer
  • fragrant
  • showy
  • 3" in diameter

Fruit

  • dry rounded fruit
  • up to 1" in diameter
  • not ornamentally important

Bark

  • branches low on trunk
  • white stripes along bark
  • greenish brown twigs
  • older bark is gray
  • winter interest

Culture

  • prefers well-drained, rich, acidic soil
  • needs moisture
  • partial sun to full

Landscape Use

  • specimen
  • patio tree
  • for fragrant flowers
  • good four season plant

Liabilities

  • root rot
  • needs extra watering

ID Features

  • pubescent, grayish terminal buds
  • alternate leaf arrangement
  • oblong leaf shape
  • serrated leaf margin
  • white flowers in summer

Propagation

  • by cuttings
  • by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

  • none

© Copyright Mark H. Brand, 1997-2015.

The digital materials (images and text) available from the UConn Plant Database are protected by copyright. Public use via the Internet for non-profit and educational purposes is permitted. Use of the materials for profit is prohibited.

Citation and Acknowledgements: University of Connecticut Plant Database, http://hort.uconn.edu/plants, Mark H. Brand, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Storrs, CT 06269-4067 USA.