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The Massachsetts Medical Society Grounds Fall
Blooming Franklinia It is deciduous and the large, alternate green leaves turn a brilliant red and orange in the fall. The fragrant, camellia-like flowers begin opening in September and continue for several months until the foliage drops. The flowers are 3 to 5 inches in diameter and are a creamy white with slightly crinkled, overlapping petals centered with a bunch of golden stamens. They are open only for about a day. Trees in full sun have more flowers and more brilliant foliage that those in the shade. Franklinia is closely related to camellias and gordonia.
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Commonly
called Franklinia, or the Franklin tree, this fall blooming tree was
native to this country almost 200 years ago before it disappeared from
the wild. However, the naturalists John and William Bartram ensured
that it was used in cultivated gardens in America thus saving it from
extinction. The franklinia is a slow growing tree reaching about 20
feet in height. It prefers a sunny spot with acid, well-drained soil
that is consistently moist. 