Mountain silverbell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain silverbell |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Halesia
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| Species: |
monticola
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The mountain silverbell (scientific name: Halesia monticola) is a beautiful tree known for its bell-shaped flowers. It is one of the largest trees in its family. This tree was first seen as a type of Halesia carolina. Later, scientists like Rehder and Sargent studied it more closely. They decided it was its own special kind of tree. Today, some experts still debate if it's a separate species or a variety. But in this article, we treat it as its own species.
What Makes It Special?
The mountain silverbell is much bigger than other silverbell trees. These include the little silverbell and the common silverbell. It is the largest tree in its entire group. This tree can grow very tall, sometimes up to 34 meters (about 112 feet). That's as tall as a 10-story building!
Another important difference is its flowers. The mountain silverbell has much larger flowers. These flowers are bigger than those found on the little or common silverbell trees.
Where It Grows
The mountain silverbell tree mostly grows in the southern Appalachian Mountains. You can also find it in southern Alabama and Georgia. There are also smaller groups of these trees further north. Some grow near the Ohio River. Others are found along the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas. It does not seem to grow in Mississippi or Louisiana.
Growing Mountain Silverbell Trees
People around the world grow the mountain silverbell tree. It can be a bit tricky to move a young tree to a new spot. But once it is settled, it is quite easy to grow. This tree starts to bloom and show its beautiful flowers when it is still quite small. It can be only about 4 meters (13 feet) tall when it first starts to flower.
