Nice one!

Where was the photo taken?

Resin

Unfortunatley I can't see the picture but they are lovely. I noticed the other day the local council has put one into a local park here. I grew up knowing them as 'handkerchief trees'. (Davidia involucrata)

"Unfortunatley I can't see the picture (...)"

I'm not the only one then (I would have loved to see it).

Possibly, GW disabled it. Let's try:

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That one doesn't work either.

Brandon, can you delete the failed pictures for me. Thank you.

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I don't have any way to delete a failed picture, but that last one worked!

I saw a really large one of those at some arboretum, but can't remember where it was. Someone asked me about it just the other day, and I was trying to remember where.

That's the same pic as the now-missing first one, if anyone's wondering.

Where it is growing? Or is it a state secret?

Resin

Hey Brandon, you are hilarious. You saw a really large one at some arboretum. Is the one you saw with such abundant blooms?

Resin, yeah, you bet. It is a high-secret and my picture is not allowed to be linked to GW. I have always wondering how the UK is able to commercially mass-produce this tree. Is it a QueenÂs secret?

No secret there! "It is easily propagated by cuttings, or by the seed, which in most years is abundantly borne" - W J Bean, Trees & Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles.

Resin

Snasxs,

The large one I saw was full of blooms but probably not as abundantly as the one in your picture. Is the one in your picture a cultivar or just plain species?

Brandon, it is some named cultivar but I forget, lol. You forget a lot yourself, so no blame.

I don't remember ever forgetting anything. What are you talking about?

I've had one for about 15 years. It hasn't bloomed yet. It's partially shaded by a Tri-color Beech and may not be getting enough summer water on the small hill it's on.

Botann,
Hmm, I cannot imagine a wait of 15 years. What a big lover!

Snasxs, in the US at a certain time of year, young people practice the habit of "TP"ing trees. They pick a neighbor's tree and unroll toilet paper all over it. That's what your pic reminds me of.
There is a mediocre Dove Tree in Asian Valley of the National Arboretum. There is a multi-stemmed tree near Winterthur Museum in Delaware. I know of a 50' tall tree in an old neighborhood in Baltimore. It has a notable bloom every four or five years but the foliage somewhat obscures the show. Without the bloom, the trees are coarse and unremarkable. There is an occasional "mast" year when much seed is produced, I've found it difficult, time-consuming and not worth the effort to propagate it. It only finds a place in the obscure corner of the local botanic garden.
Fairweather Gardens used to sell them, maybe they still do.
Sam

Here is a link that might be useful: Fairweather Gardens (mailorder)

Sam, positivity benefits all! I find the "coarse" an irresistible exotic attraction. See image here:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/98695/

There's an excellent specimen at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Here's a picture I took in early May, 2008.

John

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I bet the one I was thinking of is the same one as in John's picture. I visited many of the arboretums and botanical gardens in that area, including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, my most vivid memories are of the horrible traffic in New York. That place is crazy!

John, would you give it a full shot? It would be wonderful to see the sighting, etc.

Snasxs,

The following URL has more pictures I took at BBG last year. I must say that Davidia is not easy to photograph due to it's large size and off-white color of flowers.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Davidia at BBG

There's also a very large one at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD.

My Davidia bloomed this year! Just three blooms, but finally it bloomed. I was explaining to some friends why it was called The Hankerchief Tree when one of them noticed a bloom. We found two more hidden among the leaves.
What a shock. Finally.
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botann,

I saw your property. It looked like a fairy land with all those blooming rhododendrons and pines. How beautiful! I guess your land is not cheap near Seattle.

>it is some named cultivar but I forget'SH1' ('Sonoma').

Snasxs, I bought my 10 acre property 30 years ago. I could not afford to buy it now. I'm 65 and retired.

Local outlets continue to stock 'SH1' (as 'Sonoma'). It have even seen it flowering in a 5 gallon pot. One I planted on Camano Island has flowered for a couple years now, I think, although rather lightly so far. It is approximately head high.

In addition to flowering heavily when still rather small this cultivar can be recognized by its plus-sized (or on small trees, broad) bracts.

Hi all,

I hear these are called "living fossils". The reason they, among others, survived today is a miracle.

It is said to have something to do with the ice age. During which period, glaciers never completely covered the mountains in Eastern Asian continent, near todayÂs Yunnan province of China.

Some specimens survived in the gaps between the enormous ice caps. Since the glaciers were moving, those gaps moved too. Those species needed longer reproduction cycle all went extinct.

Judging by the appearance, I donÂt find the Dove tree primitive. I guess GW experts and biologists could educate me on this.