Here is a pic of one of my favorite trees called a Franklinia.
It blooms about mid to late summer and has these beautiful white rose smelling flowers. These trees are no longer found in the wild only as garden specimens. They are probably a hybrid between something.
Here is a link to Bartram's Garden web site and the history of the franklinia.
http://www.bartramsgarden.org/franklinia/
Franklinia is not a hybrid, as far as I know. It was saved from extinction by John Bartram in the late 1700's.
There is a Franklinia census at the site also and you can let them know where you have Franklinias growing.
Mike
Everybody has their own view about the Franklinia. I believe it is a hybrid. It was found only growing in one place. I grew the trees I have from seed and it has unbelievable ability to put out roots from a low branches. If a leaf gets knocked off (even the cotyledons) they will try and root! The seed were grown in a greenhouse for a year and reached 4 feet tall and bloomed the following summer after being planted outside. I find it hard to believe that with all these survival tactics that it would be going extinct growing close to a river. The blooms are loved by a variety of insects and they are made to be easily pollinated. There is no fossil record at the present time.
Eventually someone will take it apart genetically and lay the issue to rest.
This message was edited Feb 21, 2004 5:43 AM
Kybred,
How easy is it to root cuttings? This is a tree on my wish list and I did wintersow a small handful of seeds but nothing has germinated yet.
I hadn't come across any references to its being a hybrid but that would make sense. Yours is the first mention about ease of propagation I've come across.
Sheila
I will be glad to make you some cuttings. It may take a while to get them to you. All I do is stick them in moist potting soil and put the pot in a large ziploc bag and wait 8 weeks. The seedlings should have plenty of roots by then for you to repot them or plant them.
KYBred, I too would love a rooted cutting if your feeling generous with your time. :-)
Please let me know and I'll get you my address and postage monies.
RikerBear
This message was edited Feb 23, 2004 6:11 PM
Absolutely!! I will root a few dozen and we will see how far they go or I can send you the cuttings and you can start them. Either way is fine with me. Just let me know.
Well shoot, if they indeed root up as easily as you say go ahead and send me the cutting. I'll root the baby myself...or at least give it a good try.
I'll email you my addy....Please check my trade list and see if there is anything you'd like.
RikerBear
KYbred,
Thank you for your very generous offer. I will email you but in the meantime, is there any plant you may be interested in?
I am just starting my garden so there is little in the way of plants. I did get several peonies (singles) and will be getting a some tropical seeds in the mail soon. I suspect mine won't be a formal garden.
Sheila
Hello,
I found a Franklinia Yahoo group! I'm hoping it will be a bit more active than it has been. I don't know who the group owner is.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Franklinia_alatamaha
I would say check it out but maybe if you post there will be some more activity on it.
skatayama
Supposedly the planting of cotton in the south doomed this tree to extinction, but I can't remember exactly why. I do know that the NC State plant website states "Do not plant where cotton has been grown", so there appears to be something to this.
What am I doing wrong? I planted 3 Franklinia trees in my yard that I ordered from Wayside Gardens. Every one of them died over the first winter. They were in a semi-protected area in very good soil. I would really like to have some of the trees since they are a fall bloomer but I am leary about planting them again.
From what I've been able to read Franklinia trees are very suseptable to soil borne virus'...virus's that are readily left behind after the production of a cotton crop. I haven't been able to find any refrence to just what virus they are talking about or how to combat it however.
So KYBred how are the cuttings coming along?
Let me/us know when you want us to send postage monies.
I've also read there is a common fungus that afflicts rhododendrons and azaleas that is death to Franklinias. Which means if I want a Franklinia as badly as I do, I will be getting rid of those HD azaleas the previous homeowner afflicted the front yard with. Not a slur on azaleas but if you're going plant one, get a good one.
skatayama
