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Dove Tree Flower Wikimedia Commons
Nyssaceae

Dove Tree Flower

Davidia involucrata

Peace and rarity.

Family
Nyssaceae
Genus
Davidia
Native to
China
Bloom season
Late Spring
Type
Tree
Height
12-20 meters
Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
6-8
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • The dove tree is also called the handkerchief tree because its large white bracts flutter like handkerchiefs.
  • It can take 10-20 years for a dove tree grown from seed to produce its first flowers.
  • The tree was discovered by the Western world by French missionary Pere Armand David in 1869.
  • Ernest Henry Wilson was sent to China specifically to collect its seeds for Veitch Nurseries in 1899.
  • The large white 'petals' are actually bracts; the true flowers are tiny in a central ball-shaped cluster.

Color meanings

0

Peace

1

Rarity

2

Natural wonder

Uses

  • Ornamental specimen tree
  • Parks
  • Botanical gardens