Franklin Tree is a native deciduous shrub an open upright spreading habit and glossy dark green leaves that transition to a striking red in fall.  Sweetly fragrant white flowers with orange-yellow stamen bloom from mid summer until frost.  Best blooms occur in rich, well-drained acidic soil.  Intolerant of drought and may struggle in urban conditions. While native, Franklin Tree has gone extinct in the wild.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Medium maintenance. Hard to transplant due to sparse fibrous root system.  Good drainage is essential to prevent wilt and root rot. Watch for sawflies.  Has a reputation of being difficult to grow.

LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Screening.

COMPANION PLANTS:  Mountain Laurel, Fothergilla, American Snowbell

IMAGES: Plant Image Library, Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree) (36611036676), CC BY-SA 2.0, (2) Wendy Cutler, Franklinia alatamaha (1), CC BY 2.0, (3) Plant Image Library, Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree) (35593106380), CC BY-SA 2.0, (4) Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), Franklin Tree Franklinia alatamaha Autumn Leaf 2000px, CC BY-SA 2.5

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown