Whoever sees a blooming David for the first time rubs his eyes in amazement. How is it possible for thousands of snow-white handkerchiefs to flow in the crown of a tree? The mystery will be revealed when we look closely at the branch of the "handkerchief tree" - as it is commonly called - up close.
Davidia involucrata is a tree with a wide, spreading crown, reaching up to 20 m in nature.It occurs in several provinces of southern China, in mountain forests at an altitude of 1100-2600 m above sea level.The unique species was discovered in 1868 by a French monk and naturalist familiar with plants, animals and minerals - Armand David.
The tree was found again in 1897 by the French missionary Paul Guillaume Farges. Finally, at the beginning of the 20th century, in 1902, the English "plant hunter" Ernest Henry Wilson brought more seeds from China to England, and David began to conquer European parks and gardens.
Chinese Davidia is a rare species, so in China it was considered endangered and entered into the "Red Book of Plants".Its trunk is covered with flaky cinnamon bark.Juicy green heart-shaped leaves resemble linden leaves, the edge is serrated, and underneath is slightly mossy.
Young ones are brown in color, and turn yellow in autumn. Single-sex flowers, male and female, as well as bisexual flowers grow on one tree. In the spherical inflorescence, hanging on a long peduncle, male flowers with purple anthers predominate, while the female one is often only one and is distinguished by its size.
After flowering (May and June), usually one fruit is formed - a brown drupe the size of a small plum, containing 3-5 seeds.In European gardens, almost exclusively a less sensitive variety is grown Vilmorina, var. vilmoriniana, which is found only in Sichuan and differs from its typical form with bare leaves on the underside.
Older flowering trees can be admired primarily in botanical gardens and dendrological collections in the warmer temperate climate zone . Basically, they tolerate temperature drops to -25 ° C, but can also surprise with much higher frost resistance.
Young Chinese Davidia trees are offered by some reputable nurseries, but it is best and most convenient to buy them in online gardening stores. Traders often use catchy terms such as "ghost tree" or "white lady".
Remember that in addition to the wild species, there is also the 'Sonoma' variety, which enters the flowering period much earlier.You can also try to propagate Davidia yourself by cuttings or layering, as well as by sowing, but then you have to wait several years for its flowering.The pits, cleared of the pulp, are sown as soon as possible after harvesting into a box filled with peat substrate and kept at a temperature of several degrees above zero throughout the winter.We have to be patient, because germination sometimes takes place only after 18 months.
Position, cultivation, treatments
In the western part of Poland, the cultivation of Davidia is possible. Only young trees, up to the age of five, require careful winter covering. The soil should be fertile, humus, deep and not too dry, and the position in the sun or slightly shaded, sheltered from cold and drying winds.The maximum height of the tree is 10-12 m, it looks best from a distance.Its great advantage is good he alth - it is not attacked by pests or diseases.
Does not require pruning, only dead and damaged shoots need to be removed in early spring.The soil around the young specimens should be mulched with mowed grass or composted bark twice a year: in spring and autumn, and additionally, you can use mineral fertilizer for roses in the doses indicated on the package.
