Halesia carolina: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Native ornamental. Heartwood is soft and cherry-colored streaked with white while the sapwood is cream-colored. When large enough, it is cut for lumber and used as a substitute for cherry.
Plant Profile: Halesia carolina
Taxonomy: Halesia carolinaNames
Carolina Silverbell, Common Silverbell, Mountain Silverbell, opossum wood, shittimwood, Silver Bell, snowbell tree
Phonetic Spelling:ha-LESS-ee-ah kay-roh-LEE-nah
Genus:Halesia
Species:carolina
Family:Styracaceae
Halesia carolina, commonly known as Carolina silverbell, is a flowering tree indigenous to North Carolina, belonging to the Styracaceae family. While it predominantly thrives in the Great Smoky Mountains, its range extends across various mountainous areas and into the upper Piedmont region. In its natural habitat, this tree typically grows in moist environments such as slopes, coves, creek banks, and low-lying areas. Some horticulturists differentiate between H. carolina and H. tetraptera, considering them synonymous due to their similar traits; however, there is a belief that H. tetraptera is more suited to the northern USDA zones 7 and 8.
This species can be cultivated as a large, multi-trunked shrub or shaped into a small understory tree. It generally does not exceed 80 feet in height, with a trunk diameter reaching up to 2 feet, and only achieves significant size for commercial purposes in optimal conditions. Mature specimens may exhibit strikingly twisted and leaning trunks. Carolina silverbell begins to flower within just a few years of growth and can live for as long as a century.
The tree thrives in average, well-drained soil and prefers full sun to partial shade, although it flourishes best in moist, acidic, and organically rich soils with some shade. It features an irregular, spreading crown and displays yellow foliage in the fall. Due to its sensitivity to drought, it requires additional watering during dry spells. Carolina silverbell serves as an appealing specimen for lawns, shrub borders, or woodland gardens and is sometimes used ornamentally. It pairs beautifully with rhododendrons and azaleas. However, it is vulnerable to heat, drought, and soil compaction.
Regarding pests, diseases, and other issues, Carolina silverbell does not face significant threats, but it is not tolerant of salt or compacted soils. In high pH soils, the leaves may exhibit chlorosis. Additionally, the tree should be shielded from strong winds, as its wood is relatively soft and weak.
Halesia carolina Feature Summary
Halesia carolina Image Gallery
Tags
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#shade tree
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#partial sun
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#pyramidal
#shade tolerant
#tree
#nectar plant
#piedmont
#native shrub
#shade garden
#low maintenance
#spring flowers
#interesting fruit
#fall interest
#flowering tree
#playground
#lawn tree
#showy bark
#moist soil
#food source
#low flammability
#NC native
#well-drained soil
#flowering shrub
#children's garden
#native garden
#fire resistant
#mountains
#coastal plants
#summer interest
#borders
#spring interest
#acidic soil tolerant
#pollinator plant
#Braham Arboretum
#late spring flowers
#multitrunked
#early spring flowers
#larval host plant
#fruits summer
#deciduous tree
#mid-spring flowers
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#patio planting
#native
#nectar plant late spring
#butterfly friendly
#nectar plant mid-spring
#moth larvae
#nectar plant early spring
#partial shade tolerant
#flowering
#pollinators
#pollinator garden
#bee friendly
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#flowers
#non-toxic for cats
#woodlands
#heavy shade tolerant
#shrub borders
Similar Plants
Halesia carolina is often confused with:
Halesia carolina Feature Summary
Attributes
Native ornamental. Heartwood is soft and cherry-colored streaked with white while the sapwood is cream-colored. When large enough, it is cut for lumber and used as a substitute for cherry.
East Central to Southeastern United States
West Virginia to Ohio to Oklahoma and Illinois, south to Florida
Attracts hummingbirds, and supports 7 different species of lepidopteran caterpillars including the Promethea moth. It is a host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Mourning Cloak, Eastern Comma, Red-spotted Purple, and Viceroy butterflies. Buds and flower clusters are eaten by birds. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators enjoy the nectar from the flowers.
fire in the landscape.
Woody
Seed
Stem Cutting
Wildlife Food Source
Attracts Pollinators
Attractive Flowers
Wildlife Larval Host
low flammability
Fruit
A 1 to 2 inch, oblong 4-winged dry drupe with one hard seed which starts out green with a dark point at the base and turns brown persisting and providing winter interest. In North Carolina, fruits are available from August to September.
Drupe
Green
Brown/Copper
Showy
Long-lasting
Summer
Fall
Winter
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Flowers
White, tinged with pink, pendulous perfect, bell-shaped flowers, 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long, in drooping clusters of 2 to 5 blooms from late April to May. Four sepals form a cup with four prominent ribs and four petals are fused at the base. They appear in spring with the unfolding leaves. Flowers appear on second-year growth. In North Carolina, flowers are available from March to May.
Pink
White
Spring
4-5 petals/rays
Bell
< 1 inch
Leaves
Leaves appear at the same time or just after bloom. They are finely toothed, dull, dark green above, ovate-oblong 2 to 5 inches long with rounded base and acute apex. Pubescent below and they turn yellow in the fall but drop early.
Deciduous
Green
Gold/Yellow
Gold/Yellow
Simple
Alternate
Ovate
Oblong
Serrate
Dentate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Bark
Young bark is gray with vertical dark fissures that make it appear striped. Mature bark is scaly, ridged, and furrowed with reddish-brown bark appearing underneath. It separates into scales that strip off as the tree grows older.
Dark Gray
Light Gray
Orange
Scaly
Ridges
Furrowed
Stem
Branching is irregular and begins low on the trunk. Second-year stems appear stringy. Twigs are brown and smooth, while young shoots are light green and pubescent.
Brown/Copper
Green
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Native Plant
Deciduous
Multi-trunked
Rounded
Pyramidal
Open
Irregular
Medium
Low
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
24-60 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Children's Garden
Winter Garden
Nighttime Garden
Native Garden
Shade Garden
Border
Specimen
Small Tree
Black Walnut
Fire
Patio
Woodland
Lawn
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Moths
Hummingbirds
Halesia carolina Image Gallery
Halesia carolina Attributes
Halesia carolina: Country Or Region Of Origin
East Central to Southeastern United States
Halesia carolina: Distribution
West Virginia to Ohio to Oklahoma and Illinois, south to Florida
Halesia carolina: Wildlife Value
Attracts hummingbirds, and supports 7 different species of lepidopteran caterpillars including the Promethea moth. It is a host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Mourning Cloak, Eastern Comma, Red-spotted Purple, and Viceroy butterflies. Buds and flower clusters are eaten by birds. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators enjoy the nectar from the flowers.
Halesia carolina: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
fire in the landscape.
Halesia carolina: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Halesia carolina: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Halesia carolina: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Halesia carolina: Fire Risk Rating
extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability
Halesia carolina Fruit
Halesia carolina: Fruit Description
A 1 to 2 inch, oblong 4-winged dry drupe with one hard seed which starts out green with a dark point at the base and turns brown persisting and providing winter interest. In North Carolina, fruits are available from August to September.
Halesia carolina: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Halesia carolina: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Halesia carolina: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Halesia carolina: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Halesia carolina: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Halesia carolina: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Halesia carolina Flowers
Halesia carolina: Flower Description
White, tinged with pink, pendulous perfect, bell-shaped flowers, 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long, in drooping clusters of 2 to 5 blooms from late April to May. Four sepals form a cup with four prominent ribs and four petals are fused at the base. They appear in spring with the unfolding leaves. Flowers appear on second-year growth. In North Carolina, flowers are available from March to May.
Halesia carolina: Flower Color
Pink
White
Halesia carolina: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Halesia carolina: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Halesia carolina: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Halesia carolina: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Halesia carolina: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Halesia carolina Leaves
Halesia carolina: Leaf Description
Leaves appear at the same time or just after bloom. They are finely toothed, dull, dark green above, ovate-oblong 2 to 5 inches long with rounded base and acute apex. Pubescent below and they turn yellow in the fall but drop early.
Halesia carolina: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Halesia carolina: Leaf Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Halesia carolina: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Halesia carolina: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Halesia carolina: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Halesia carolina: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Halesia carolina: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Halesia carolina: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Halesia carolina: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Halesia carolina: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Halesia carolina Bark
Halesia carolina: Bark Description
Young bark is gray with vertical dark fissures that make it appear striped. Mature bark is scaly, ridged, and furrowed with reddish-brown bark appearing underneath. It separates into scales that strip off as the tree grows older.
Halesia carolina: Bark Color
Dark Gray
Light Gray
Orange
Halesia carolina: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Halesia carolina Stem
Halesia carolina: Stem Description
Branching is irregular and begins low on the trunk. Second-year stems appear stringy. Twigs are brown and smooth, while young shoots are light green and pubescent.
Halesia carolina: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Halesia carolina: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Halesia carolina Whole Plant Traits
Halesia carolina: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Halesia carolina: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Halesia carolina: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Halesia carolina: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Halesia carolina: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Halesia carolina: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Halesia carolina Cultural Conditions
Halesia carolina: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Halesia carolina: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Halesia carolina: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Halesia carolina: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Halesia carolina: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Halesia carolina: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Halesia carolina: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Halesia carolina Landscape
Halesia carolina: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Halesia carolina: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Halesia carolina: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Halesia carolina: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Halesia carolina: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
