Styracaceae - Storax Family
"A Year With the Trees" - Tree Number 86
Carolina Silverbell Tree
Halesia carolina
The four sided fruits are on the Carollina Silverbell tree this time of year. You can see these fruits in the first photo on this post. They will persist on the tree through most of the winter. The bark on young trees has streaks of white/yellow; the older trees have much different bark.
This Silverbell tree lives at the Asheville Botanical Gardens. ashevillebotanicalgardens.org.
The fall Silverbell tree has just a few of the 4 winged fruits left clinging to it's branches.
Winter
The four-sided fruits are about two inches long and mature in autumn. They will dry and some will remain on the tree throughout the winter.
The tree is often described as a "Hershey Tree" for it's bark resembles a milk chocolate bar. My friend, Linda, calls it a "chocolate corn flake tree" for the bark looks like chocolate corn flakes; and I agree with her.
For the love of the trees,
Becky
"A Year With the Trees" - Tree Number 86
Carolina Silverbell Tree
Halesia carolina
Spring
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| Carolina Silverbell Photo by Robert Priddy |
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| Silverbell Tree. Photo by Robert Priddy |
The Silverbell can be identified by the beautiful bells that are on the tree in April and May as well as the alternate green leaves with a pointed end.
Summer
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| The Carolina Silverbell Tree |
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| The Carolina Silverbell Tree |
Fall
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| The Silverbell Tree |
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| The Silverbell Tree |
The fall Silverbell tree has just a few of the 4 winged fruits left clinging to it's branches.
Winter
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| Thank you to Wikimedia Commons and photographer, Kurt Stuber, for this photo of the winter Silverbell Tree's fruit. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Halesia_carolina6.jpg#filehistory |
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| The Silverbell Tree - Halesia carolina
Their are just a few fruit capsules remaining on the Silverbell in February. I was thinking how humans and animials are like this Silverbell tree. By the end of winter, some of us are barely hanging on; ready to fling open the windows and doors and let in springtime. We find ourselves looking forward to the new life of spring and the warm sun on our skin. Springtime hurry..we are ready.
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The Champion Carolina Silverbell Tree
The North Carolina champion Carolina Silverbell tree lives in Buncombe County at the Biltmore estate. It is 90 feet tall and has a circumference of 86 inches.
check out ncforestservice.gov and search the data base for the Silverbell tree. There is a great photo and description of where this tree is located.
My favorite Carolina Silverbell Tree
My favorite Carolina Silverbell tree lives at the Botanical Gardens of Asheville.
Plant a Carolina Silverbell Tree
Squirrels, honeybees, bumblebees, Promethea moths as well as other moths, and birds all are able to use this tree for food and shelter. Hummingbirds come to this tree during the flowering time in May. This tree grows up to 30 feet tall. I would love to plant a grove of Silverbell trees at Priddy woods, where I live.
For the love of the trees,
Becky
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| Halesia carolina |
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