Davidii (handkerchief tree)

Hell everyone, does anyone own one of the above tree's ? I saw a lovely example at Tatton Park a few years back. I am hoping to hear of any experiences with this tree and also looking for a supplier.

many thanks, Gazania.

 

Welcome Gazania.
Davidia involucrata, common name Dove tree or hankerchief tree.
Still waiting for ours to flower. It can take upwards of 15 years apparently, unless we are very lucky!
I believe I have seen them for sale at Westonbirt Arboretum.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/...onbirtArboretumPlantCentreWestonbirtArboretum

http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/trees/other-trees/deciduous/davidia-involucrata/itemno.TR30000144/

Unless you can afford Davidia involucrata Sonoma which flowers from a very young age.Infact when only 3ft tall. A few months ago Bluebell nursery had these in stock. Cost £100 .

http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2006/05/davidia_involucrata_sonoma_1.php

 

Thanks Silver Surfer for the info.

I have seen 7L trees for sale around £30+

Not sure I can wait 15 years to see it flower though. The Sonoma looks a good option as it apparently flowers a little bit earlier in it's life.

I am not too far from you here in North Wales so I guess our growing climates are pretty similar. Okay we might get a little more rain !

Again, thanks for the info and links. I'll keep you posted.

Diolch, Gazania

 

I read about this tree many years ago, and that it took 10-15 years to flower. Decided I could not wait that long. Guess if I had a huge property and could tuck it away somewhere it would be ok.

 

We have a couple of them in the garden - approx 10 and 15 years old respectively. Neither have flowered as yet although the larger one is now mature enough to start any year now!! I have planted them in other gardens too and one flowered at a very young age when it was around 5 feet in height. They are invariably seed grown so there will be some variation in things like flowering age for sure.

Davidias are widely available, even from larger garden centres, and certainly every nursery that stocks a decent range of ornamental trees will have them too. Check the RHS Plantfinder for some suppliers in your area:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/pfregions.asp?ID=5364

 

I had always wanted one of these so bought one as soon as we moved to Brittany. I had to order it from a Dutch nurseryman. It stayed in the pot for a year or two and then was planted over the grave of our cat Ceefor. It became known as the Ceefor tree. It was about five years old when I bought it, looking at annual growth marks on the young stem. It produced five to six flowers at age ten to eleven, a good thirty last year from which I have harvested seed and this year it's covered in flowers. I'm waiting for the bracts to enlarge and whiten to get the best effect. It's a beautiful thing. I have some of the cleaned seeds soaking in water on the kitchen window sill. I'll put the rest in compost and see what happens but the weather is really cold at the moment so don't want to put them outside and I don't have much windowsill space inside. (French Windows open inwards).

 

We broke open one of the dried seeds to see it's structure. I imagined it might be like an almond, ie fleshy outer, hard wood like seed shell and I thought a nut in the centre but in fact it had a narrow core with a hard corky substance in it. Nothing that looked at all seed like to my uneducated eyes.

 

Hi ShirleyMac. You are lucky to be having success with your tree. I have still shyed away from getting one as even now as I write there is a hurricane blowing around the garden ! I'm glad I havn't put anything tender or new veg in the ground as they would all be getting torn up by the roots. That's the reason I havn't planted a tree in this garden. It is just too exposed to wind and any new buds or leaves on trees would just get destroyed.
Is your 'Ceefor tree' exposed to strong winds ? My local garden centre has 2 trees that have been there for a couple of years with no takers !
Gazania

 

Please Shirleymac, can you show us a picture. It sounds like something to be proud of and a fitting tribute to Ceefor,
thank you
Jenny namaste

 

Hi Jenny,
Brittany is similar to the UK except the rain is marginally warmer! We do get snow and hard frosts from time to time. The canal froze over a year or so ago. The tree sits in the middle of the garden and so does get knocked about a bit. I risked not staking it as I wanted the stem to thicken up after having been in the pot for so long so it whipped about dramatically for a while. I have a fairly sink or swim attitude to gardening. The new cats scratch the stem and climb up it. One of them had fun during the early spring climbing along the branches and knocking off individual fruits from where they hung in a tempting manner. I shall take some photos when the weather is a bit kinder and the bracts have whitened up.

 

Thank you

 

I grew one from seed once, it got to 2ft quite quickly and unfortunately died for some reason, shame as that was about 12 years ago and it may have been flowering around now had it survived..

Here's the trees Bluebell Nurseries are selling;

http://www.bluebellnursery.com/catalogue/trees/Davidia

 

I have one been in the garden 6 years and was about two feet when I bought it bargain £20.00 from a local nursery that picks up stuff cheep from a Dutch supplier but may only have one or two of each plant I think £100 is too much.
Mine is about 7 feet tall now, to be honest I think I have planted it in the wrong spot !! next to the wisteria arch it didnt do much growth 1st for two years and finaly its romping away. Time will tell .....

Spruce

 

I went along to my garden centre this afternoon and as always took a look in on the Davidii tree's. They were gone ! Finally they must have been sold. Oh well.
Next tree to look out for is the Liquidamber.
Gazania