Franklinia alatamaha

Franklinia alatamaha, named after Benjamin Franklin and the Alatamaha River in Georgia where it was discovered in October 1765, is a rare deciduous tree that owes its survival to a plant enthusiast named John Bartram who sowed it more than two centuries ago in his garden in Philadelphia. Rare in cultivation, this close relative of camellias deserves a place in the garden for its evident ornamental qualities: of medium size, it bears beautiful deciduous foliage that turns fiery in autumn, while its long white flowering with a sweet violet scent only ends in the middle of winter. Growing the Franklin tree is a delicate process. It is important to keep in mind that any gardener who adopts and acclimatises this beautiful species in their garden becomes a full-fledged participant in its survival.

Franklinia alatamaha, the sole representative of the Franklinia genus, is a small tree belonging to the Theaceae family and native to the Alatamaha River valley in the state of Georgia, USA. The Franklin tree has a slow growth and develops either as a small tree with a fairly short single trunk topped by a more or less round pyramidal crown, or in a more bushy form, anchored on multiple trunks. Under our climate, it will reach an average height of 5 m (16.4 ft) with a spread of 1.5 m to 2.5 m (4.9 ft to 8. ft), depending on whether it has a single or multiple trunks. The bark is grey and grooved. The Franklinia's root system is fibrous and fragile, and it does not appreciate being handled.

The deciduous foliage is composed of large leaves arranged alternately on the branches. They are 12 cm to 15 cm (4.7 in to 5.9 in) long, obovate to oblong in shape, and borne on short petioles. Finely toothed along the edges, they are glossy, dark green on the upper surface, paler on the underside, and turn flaming shades of red-orange in autumn.

The Franklinia's flowering occurs after 5 or 6 years of cultivation, once the plant is well established. It starts in September and continues until the first frosts, usually in December, accompanying the beautiful autumn colours of the foliage. The flowers have 5 white petals, 8 cm (3.1 in) wide, resembling those of a single-flowered camellia. They have a light fragrance, somewhat reminiscent of violets. The flowers are shallow cups, centred around a golden yellow stamen cluster. After flowering, round woody capsules, 2 cm (0.8 in) in diameter, form. Each capsule is divided into 5 compartments, each containing 1 to 2 seeds.

The Franklin tree will quickly become one of the most beautiful attractions in the garden: placed in a prominent and privileged location, it will astonish many visitors and be a source of pride for its host who has successfully acclimatised this rare tree in their garden. Choose its location carefully, preferably in a sunny and sheltered spot from dry and cold winds in cooler regions, or in partial shade in drier and hotter regions. Capable of withstanding short frosts around -15° C (5° F), it prefers well-drained, sandy, humus-rich, peaty, and acidic soils. To accompany it, choose simple bushes that won't overshadow it, like dogwoods, guelder roses, and mock oranges.

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The cause of the Franklin tree's extinction is somewhat obscure, but it is likely that several factors such as fires, deforestation, floods, the appetite of collectors, and certain fungal diseases introduced at the same time as cotton are responsible for its disappearance. All currently available specimens descend from the few plants planted by John Bartram in Philadelphia. Today, there are around 2000 individuals distributed worldwide, solely in cultivation.