Woody > Franklinia > Franklinia alatamaha > Franklinia alatamaha
Franklinia alatamaha
Ben Franklin Tree
Origin: John Bartram found this plant in 1770 along the banks of the Alatamaha River in Georgia. He then collected a few for his collection. This plant has not been seen in the wild since 1790.
| Family |
| Theaceae |
| Genus |
| Franklinia |
| Species |
| alatamaha |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 5-8 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 5b |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -25 - 25C |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -20 - 77F |
| Height |
| 3-7.5 m |
| Spread |
| 2-6 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| It is a small tree/large shrub with grey coloured bark. It has bright green foliage during spring and summer but turns a brilliant red-orange in the autumn. In August/September, it produces a small cup shaped, white flower with a yellow center. |
| Landscape |
| Franklinia is a small tree suited to patio areas where its late seasons bloom will be appreciated. |
| Shape |
| Rounded to conical dense crown. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| It has a small cup shaped white flower with a yellow centre. |
| Pests |
| Wilt and root rot. |
| Habitat |
| Once found along the banks of the Alatamaha River in Georgia, but is now extinct in the wild. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Older bark is grey in colour. Twigs are a greenish brown with white stripes running through it. The bark is smooth and slightly fluted, which is attractive. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Terminal, elongated, grayish brown, and silky. The scales weakly overlap. The buds are .5-1 cm in length. |
| Leaf Description |
| It has a simple leaf that grows in an alternate arrangement. They are oblong in shape and grow to about 10-20 cm in length. The leafs have a serrate edge and are a bright green through the year. Turns red-orange in the autumn. |
| Flower Description |
| It has a 5 petaled white flower with a yellow center of stamens. This flower is slightly cup shaped blooming in August, through September; very attractive. |
| Fruit Description |
| A dry, woody, rounded fruit that is up to 2.5 cm in diameter. Seed dispersal occurs in the autumn. |
| Colour Description |
| The tree has a bright green colour through the year then goes bright red-orange in the autumn. It has grey coloured bark. The flowers are white with yellow centers. |
| Texture Description |
| It has a medium texture year round. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The Gardens of Fanshawe College, Weekes Garden, London Ontario, Canada and Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC. |
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