Handkerchief tree
By Fleur
@Fleura (30813)
United Kingdom
June 16, 2023 5:49am CST
Plant names are interesting. Some have names that you just can’t figure out how they originated, like Bear’s breeches for example. Others are named for their historical uses, such as Butcher’s broom, Ladies’ bedstraw or Woundwort. And some have names that are simply the first thing that comes to mind when you see one.
This is clearly an example of the latter – a handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata). I saw a couple of these recently at gardens we visited. Obviously it is just the right time of year to notice them; the rest of the year I probably might not have paid them much attention.
If you had ‘discovered’ this tree, what would you have named it?
Incidentally it originates from China - @changjiangzhibin89 do you know the name of this tree in its home country?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2023.
10 people like this
10 responses
@BarBaraPrz (48249)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
16 Jun 23
I prefer snake plant, but sansevieria is easy enough for me to say. And by the by, I picked up one at a yard sale on the past weekend.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472427)
• Switzerland
16 Jun 23
@Fleura I checked en.Wikipedia and it says that it's also called "Ghost Tree". it.Wikipedia mentions "albero dei fazzoletti".
Davidia involucrata Baill., 1871 conosciuta anche come albero dei fazzoletti...
And this is what en.wikipedia says
Davidia involucrata, the dove-tree, handkerchief tree, pocket handkerchief tree, or ghost tree...
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@snowy22315 (184224)
• United States
17 Jun 23
I think handkerchief tree suits it just fine.
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@changjiangzhibin89 (16832)
• China
17 Jun 23
Thanks for @ me !yes,the handkerchief tree is native to China.We call them GongTong (transliteration) and the Chinese dove tree,because their heads (capitulum) have white bracts that look like doves that spread their wings.
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@allknowing (139574)
• India
17 Jun 23
Some get names after celebrities like Catherine the name of a rose.
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@LindaOHio (183856)
• United States
16 Jun 23
I've never heard of this tree. I would have no idea what to name it.
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