Silverbell tree, halesia carolinia

Halesia, also known as silverbell tree, is one of a small genus of four or five species of large deciduous shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae >. This tree family grows in eastern Asia (southern China) in North America (from southern Ontario to southern Florida and east to Texas in the United States). This species can reach 5 to 20 meters in height depending on the climate and type of soil. Its leaves are alternate, oval and measure 5 to 16 cm long and 3 to 8 cm wide. The flowers are pendulous, white or pale pink and are produced in open clusters of 2 to 6 flowers per set, each flower is 1 to 3 cm long. The fruit is a distinctive, dry oblong drupe 2 to 4 cm long.

H. monticolais the largest of its genus, with trees reaching up to 39 m in height in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The second isH. macgregorii, reaching 24 m in China. Others, like the one we produceH. Carolinararely exceeds 10 meters in height.
Halesias are ornamental trees popular in large gardens and are commonly grown for their dangling, delicate flowers in late spring. Some specimens thrive well in the Montreal botanical garden. Rustic up to zone 5a