33. Carolina Silverbell

Specimen Size: 34.6ft tall, 17in in diameter.

Location: East side of the niche between Thomson Hall and the Communications Building at the very southern corner of the latter.

Historical Background: Generally this tree is used as an ornamental due to its showiness, though when large enough it can be cut for lumber. Because of its flowers, the Carolina Silverbell is attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and moths, as well as other pollinators. It is susceptible to high heat and drought, but is generally fire resistant. In general individuals of this species only live for about 100 years. Several cultivars exist for this species, which are prized in gardens.

Non-native

Native Range: The Carolina Silverwood is a native of North Carolina, especially the Great Smokey Mountains Region. Found wild in the central east to southeast United States.

Identifying Features: This species is easily confused with the Mountain silverbell (H. tetraptera var. monticola), however one distinguishing characteristic is the leaf size. While H. monticola generally has leaves greater than 6” (15cm), H. carolina leaves generally measure only about 3-6” (8-15cm) in length. Additionally, the Carolina silverbell is often shrubbier with smaller flowers. The leaves are dull, darker green above, with fine serrations on the margins. Fruit is oddly shaped, small pods with 4 wings and a single hard brown fruit. The remarkable feature of this species are its myriad flowers, which appear in mid spring clusters in a chain along the shoot leaving the impression of a long line of tiny dangling bells on each branch.

Identifying Features In Depth:

1. Form: A small to medium shrubby tree seldom exceeding 40’ (12m) in height. Relatively thick and spreading foliage in an open woody crown. Often this species will form multiple trunks. 

2. Leaves: The leaves are dull, darker green above, with fine serrations on the margins. Veins are palmate and impressed, and the underside of the leaf is finely hairy. In fall they turn a golden/yellow color, falling early. They are oblong to ovate and grow in an alternate pattern to a length of 3-6” (8-15cm).

3. Bark: Orange gray to dark gray in color, generally gray when young and reddish brown when older. Vertical furrows grow with age till older bark begins peeling off.

4. Reproductive Bodies: Distinctive white to pink bell shaped flowers are this tree’s signature feature, creating a beautiful showy display in springtime. They are between half an inch and three quarters of an inch in length (1.3-2cm). Each has 4-5 petals, and they appear clustered in lines along the branch in groups of 2-5. These give rise to oddly shaped fruit, drupes 1-3” (2.5-7.5cm) in length with 4 wings attached. They start green and ripen to a copper/brown in late summer, persisting into winter.