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Our tree of the week is the silverbell (Halesia diptera). Silverbells were among the first plants included in the arboretum catalogue. Since 1985, there have been 12 individual plantings, 11 of which were donated by local resident Jack Price. Today, only three survive.
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| In February of 1985, Jack Price donated five trees. Our three remaining silverbells are from this bunch, which makes them more than 35 years old. They were planted together, in a row, toward the bottom of a slope, near the arboretum drainage channel. |
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It just so happens that all three trees have terrible posture. Two of the trees lean heavily toward the south. In 2021, this location receives a fare amount of sun. However, the landscape has changed significantly since 1985, with the loss of old on-site native oaks that covered this area in shade.
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All three trees have slender trunks with fissured, rough bark.
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If you can train them properly, silverbells make excellent shade trees. They are small trees with big green leaves.
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The dark green leaves have an ovate shape and a pointed tip. The upper surface is smooth to the touch.
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Underneath, leaves are pale green and smooth. The leaf pictured measures approximately 6 inches in length, with the petiole included.
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Edges are subtly serrated.
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In the month of July, our three silverbells show an abundance of immature fruits, and what interesting fruits they are!
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Fruits appear singly or in clumps. They are bulbous with wavy ridges. The species name diptera is a reference to the unusual fruit shape: the four wavy ridges divide into two sets of wings, making the fruit "two-winged".
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A nice little branch was snipped for measurements.
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Immature fruits are more than an inch in length.
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Fruits are less than an inch wide. In the fall, these fruits will dry out and turn brown. This past winter, a handful of persistent fruits were collected and planted, but we didn't have any luck with germination. With such an abundance of fruit this year, we will necessarily try our luck again.
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You can see flowers from these trees on an older blog post, found here.
For more information about this species, please consult the following online sources:
Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours (LSU AgCenter)
Texas A&M University (Aggie Horticulture)
North Carolina State University Extension
