Viewing post #200130 by fiwit

According to the TV show Bones, there's one in the national botanical garden. Here's where I first learned about it (and bought mine): http://nearlynativenursery.com Their page says this about it.

Now extinct in the wild this beautiful species which (Father) John and (Son) William Bartram discovered in 1765 along the Altamaha River in South Georgia and named in honor of John's Good friend Benjamin Franklin. The botanical species name alatamaha comes from a common misspelling of the Altamaha River in those days. Later John's son William Bartram returned to collected seed and propagated it at their Philadelphia garden and this is where all plants to see today originate from. The species has never been seen naturally in the wild since 1803. Many Thanks go to people like William and many others for bring native species into cultivation for this can the best measure off preventing extinction today. It has large white flowers with yellow centers that bloom from mid summer to late fall. It is an under story tree that reaches a height of about 20 feet. We have grown it in full sun with success, but more success can been witnessed in high 4-8' raise beds in dapple sun and partial shade in the South where red clay is prevailent. In cooler climates it will tolerate sun better. It prefers soils that drain well with constant moisture, but that is never wet. Some theorists believe that the Ice Age forced this plant south hence it not being commom at any time in the south due to it be a in an area where it only survived not thrived. I tend follow this belief because it appear to perform much better the further north one tries to grow it.

Mine's planted on slightly raised ground in red GA clay, although I amended the soil when I planted it, and pretty much full sun, until the other trees grow up enough to shade it. It's not quite as tall as I am yet, with only a few branches, and I think it had ONE flower last year, but still - IT BLOOMED. When I told the folks at the Nursery, they said most folks don't keep them alive long enough for them to bloom. Mine was planted in fall 2009, and was my most expensive purchase at the time I bought it. I think now it's my 2nd most expensive