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Dove Tree Wikimedia Commons
Nyssaceae

Dove Tree

Davidia involucrata

Peace and extraordinary discovery.

Family
Nyssaceae
Genus
Davidia
Native to
Central and Southwestern China
Bloom season
Spring
Type
deciduous tree
Height
40-65 ft
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
moist, well-drained, rich
Water
moderate
Hardiness
6-8
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The spectacular white bracts hanging like handkerchiefs or doves earned it names like handkerchief tree, dove tree, and ghost tree.
  • Plant hunter Ernest Henry Wilson was sent to China in 1899 specifically to find this tree, in what became one of botany's most famous expeditions.
  • A dove tree may take 10 to 20 years from seed before it produces its first flowers.
  • Pere Armand David, a French missionary and naturalist, first described the tree in 1869, and the genus Davidia honors him.
  • The large paired white bracts are asymmetrical, with one much larger than the other, and they flutter in the slightest breeze.

Color meanings

0

uniqueness

1

freedom

Uses

  • specimen tree
  • parks and estates
  • botanical collections