Franklinia Alatamaha 7g

Franklinia Alatamaha 7g

$127.00
$127.00
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Franklinia alatamaha, commonly called the Franklin Tree, lets you grow a direct connection to our nation’s rich botanical history in your garden. It also helps with the conservation of a beautiful tree that is extinct in the wild. 

In 1765, the Philadelphia botanists, John Bartram, who was appointed “Royal Botanist” for the colonies and his son William, discovered several shrubs growing along the Altamaha River while on a scientific expedition in Georgia. A few years later William returned to the area to study the plant and thought it to be from the species Gordonia.  This was not the case and, after closer study, the tree, with larger more fragrant blooms, was discovered to be its own species.
William collected seeds on yet another trip to the area in 1777 and attempted to cultivate the seeds after he returned home from his travels at his family’s botanical garden. It was not until 1781 that he was able to successfully cultivate the seed. 
The Bartram family had their garden in Philadelphia, outside of the city. It is now in the Elmwood Section of Southwest Philadelphia and still open to the public for tours. The garden's proximity to the home of Benjamin Franklin allowed a close friendship to kindle between Franklin and John Bartram. In honor of this friendship, William named the new species Franklinia after his father’s dear friend, Ben Franklin.
Sadly, the last time the tree was seen in the wild was in 1803 by John Lyon, another famed botanist of the day. Lyon also worked in the epicenter of the early American botany world in Philadelphia.

The extinction of the tree is a great mystery, but with the speed that it disappeared, we know that it was already heading toward extinction. Planting a Franklin Tree today helps with the conservation of this species and continues the education about an amazing story in our country’s amazingly rich botanical history. Every Franklin Tree that is planted today is a direct descendant of the original seed collected by William Bartram.

For those not so interested in history and trivia, the tree's stunning look will appeal. The Franklin Tree is a small deciduous tree in the tea family that grows to about 20 feet with a single trunk, or smaller if multi-stemmed. The beautifully fragrant flowers are three to four inches wide with five cup-shaped white petals surrounding a bundle of bright yellow stamens. The fall color of the foliage ranges from a warm burgundy to a dark sienna, which contrasts strikingly against the pewter of the bark and branches.

This historic tree makes a statement all year round, with its gorgeous blooms and its fiery autumn colors. The Franklinia deserves a place of prominence in your landscape whether for its aesthetics or its history.  

Common Name: Franklin Tree

15' tall x 8-10' wide

Zones 5-8

Rich organic moist but well-drained soil

Blooms late July to mid-September

Full sun to part shade

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