FRANKLINIA 
Franklinia altamaha 
Gordonia altamaha; G. Altamaha; G. pubescens 
This exquisite, fall flowering tree was brought in 1777 
from the banks of the Altamaha River in Georgia to Bar- 
tram's garden at Philadelphia. John Bartram, recognizing 
its extraordinary beauty and value, named it in honor of 
his life-long, dear friend, Benjamin Franklin. 
The original grove of Franklin trees was again visited 
in 1790, but from that day to this no one has seen these 
trees growing in the wild though many expeditions have 
searched the banks of the Altamaha for it. All known 
specimens of the Franklinia are descended from the seeds 
or little plant brought to Philadelphia a century and a 
half ago in an overloaded saddle bag. 
Franklin's tree is rarely beautiful in detail and mar¬ 
velous in landscape effect besides blooming at a season 
when few shrubs or trees are in flower. 
The slender trunk and graceful branches are so mus¬ 
cular and sinewy in appearance that one almost expects 
motion as under a greyhound's satin skin. The bark is 
smooth and dark gray, with wavering lengthwise mark¬ 
ings of lighter color. 
Each twig develops at its tip a cluster of buds of grad¬ 
uated size, like overgrown greenish pearls. Early in August 
the largest of these attain the size of marbles. Then the 
guard petal folds back, still retaining its firm spherical 
form. From its shelter emerge four other petals, satiny, 
snowy white, elaborately frilled and pleated. The snowy, 
frilly chalice, three inches in diameter, holds a sumptuous 
mass of orange gold stamens and breathes forth a deli¬ 
cate, balmy fragrance. 
Each flower lasts two or three days and then drops 
cleanly. There is a constant succession of bloom till hard 
frost. We frequently get the unusual effect of a tree clad 
in crimson autumn foliage and abundantly starred with 
white flowers. 
The Franklinia begins blooming when not more than 
three or four feet high. Young trees under favorable con¬ 
ditions increase in height a foot or more each season. 
Specimens thirty feet high are known. It develops natur¬ 
ally with several trunks, but may easily be trained to a 
single trunk by removing the sprouts which start from the 
base. 
Franklinia prefers full sun and has proven entirely 
hardy about New 
York and hardy in 
favorable locations 
about Boston. It is 
an especially de¬ 
sirable tree for the 
small intimate gar¬ 
den, loved and 
lived in. It is a 
charming lawn 
tree and the grass 
may be allowed to 
grow closely about 
its trunk. It also 
thrives when! 
planted by pools, 
lakes and streams. 
Its light elegance 
of form and color 
contrasts exqui¬ 
sitely with the dark 
green of conifers. 
