Plant Profiles: HORT 2241 Landscape Plants I

Botanical Name: Halesia carolina (formerly Halesia tetraptera)

Common Name: Carolina silverbell or mountain silverbell

Family Name: Styracaceae – storax family

General Description: Halesia carolina is native to southeastern United States where it grows as a small understory tree in rich organic soils usually near streams. The clusters of bell-shaped flowers and subtle ornamental bark features add a delicate beauty to the landscape. Carolina silverbell is intolerant of clay soils and, in the Chicago area, may suffer occasional twig damage in severe winters. Regardless, its beauty outweighs the potential problems, and it should be a more frequently used plant.

Zone: 5

Resources Consulted: Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Champaign: Stipes, 2009. Print.

"Silverbell." Trees & Plants. Morton Arboretum, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

"The PLANTS Database." USDA, NRCS. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Swink, Floyd, and Gerould Wilhelm. Plants of the Chicago Region. Indianapolis: Indiana Academy of Science, 1994. Print.

Creator: Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, Professor, College of DuPage

Creation Date: 2014

Keywords/Tags: Halesia carolina, Halesia tetraptera, Carolina silverbell, tree, deciduous

Whole plant/Habit:  Description: Halesia carolina is a multi-stemmed, low-branched, understory tree.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: May 11, 2004  Image File Name: silverbell_4894.png

Whole plant/Habit:  Description: Carolina silverbell has a somewhat broad and open branching pattern. There is not a distinctive form or shape but many specimens I have seen tend to lean, or have more branching, on one side over the other.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: June 20, 2004  Image File Name: silverbell_5886.png

Bark:  Description: The bark is gray with lighter colored shallow furrows creating a subtle “striped” effect to the bark. The bark is ornamental and can aid in identification.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: September 6, 2012  Image File Name: silverbell_4807.png

Branch/Twig:  Description: Notice the stringy threads on the 2nd year stems. This is a useful identification feature! Do not confuse this with the remnant pedicels of the flowers, look for the fine, shreddy, stringy “stuff” on the stem.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: September 6, 2012  Image File Name: silverbell_4809.png

Flower:  Description: The delicate bell-shaped flowers are pendulous, 2-5 in a cluster, and bloom April to early May, before the leaves emerge.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: May 3, 2004  Image File Name: silverbell_4445.png

Flower:  Description: Flowering can last one to two weeks. However, in a warm spring, the flowers may only last a few days.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: April 9, 2012  Image File Name: silverbell_3742.png

Fruit:  Description: The fruit is a 4-winged, dry drupe.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: June 20, 2004  Image File Name: silverbell_5891.png

Fruit:  Description: Some of the fruits persist through winter and will serve as an identification feature.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: January 16, 2006  Image File Name: silverbell_4716.png

Leaf:  Description: The alternate leaves are 2-5 inches long, dark to medium green, and lack a true terminal bud.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: June 20, 2004  Image File Name: silverbell_5889.png

Leaf:  Description: The fall color is yellowish and not particularly ornamental. The leaves fall early.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: October 1, 2008  Image File Name: silverbell_1050160.png

Special ID feature(s):  Description: The 4-winged fruits and remnant pedicels of the flowers often remain on the tree offering good identification features during the dormant season. Also, look for the stringy second year stems to easily identify Carolina silverbell.  Image Source: Karren Wcisel, TreeTopics.com  Image Date: June 20, 2004  Image File Name: silverbell_5896.png