Handkerchief tree

Sun

Full sun or partial shade; afternoon shade is helpful in warmer areas. Shelter from strong, drying winds.

Water

Moderate to high; keep the root zone evenly moist but not waterlogged, especially during establishment and summer dry spells.

Soil

Deep, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil; slightly acidic to neutral is ideal. Avoid shallow, drought-prone or persistently wet ground.

Height

40-60 ft (12-18 m)

Spread

25-40 ft (7.5-12 m)

Flowers

Late spring to early summer: small rounded flower heads accompanied by two unequal, creamy-white bracts that hang like handkerchiefs.

Foliage

Alternate, heart-shaped, toothed green leaves, sometimes softly hairy beneath; autumn colour ranges from muted yellow to brown.

Growth

Moderate once established; often slow during the first few years.

Care needed

Medium

• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.5 m)

3. After 2 years

   10 ft (3 m)

4. After 3 years

   11 ft (3.5 m)

5. After 5 years

   15 ft (4.5 m)

About 26 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant during the dormant season when the ground is workable, allowing room for a broad mature crown.
• Water deeply through dry spells for the first two or three growing seasons; established trees also need water during prolonged drought.
• Apply a 2-3 in (5-8 cm) organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed in spring only if growth is weak or the soil is poor; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Stake only if the root ball moves in wind, and remove supports once the tree is firmly rooted.

Pruning. Prune lightly in late winter while dormant, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches and correcting competing leaders while young. Avoid hard pruning or routinely reducing the crown.

Autumn

Plant in mild regions while the soil is still warm and moist; water thoroughly after planting.

Late winter

Inspect the branch framework and carry out only necessary light pruning.

Spring

Plant in colder regions once the ground is workable; renew mulch and check tree ties.

Late spring

Watch for bracts on mature trees; protect small, newly planted specimens if a late frost threatens.

Summer

Water deeply during dry weather and check for leaf scorch.

Autumn

Collect ripe fallen fruits if you want to try seed propagation, and remove unnecessary stakes.

• Use as a lawn specimen with enough open space to appreciate the hanging white bracts.
• Place at the edge of a woodland garden, with the crown in good light and the roots shaded by low planting.
• Position where its spring display can be seen from a window or a regularly used path.
• Combine with shade-tolerant shrubs, ferns and groundcover beneath the outer canopy.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Grand estate, English country, Romantic rose garden, White garden and Chinese scholar garden.

Plant it with: Japanese maple, Camellia, Rhododendron, Hosta, Epimedium and Japanese painted fern.

Wildlife: The crown provides shelter and potential nesting sites for birds. It is not generally chosen as a major nectar or wildlife-food tree.

• Failure to flower: young trees may need 10-20 years or longer; provide good light, steady moisture and avoid excessive nitrogen.
• Brown leaf edges or summer leaf drop: drought, heat and drying wind can cause scorch; water deeply, mulch and choose a sheltered site.
• Blackened young leaves or damaged bracts after frost: avoid frost pockets; protect small trees during forecast late frosts.
• Poor growth or root decline in wet soil: improve drainage before planting or choose a better-drained position; do not keep watering saturated soil.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, although species-specific safety information is limited, particularly for horses. The leaves, bracts and fruits are not food; discourage ingestion.

• Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)

  Its flower heads have four pointed white bracts arranged in a flat cross, rather than two unequal, hanging bracts. Its leaves grow in opposite pairs, while handkerchief tree leaves are alternate.

Davidia honours the French naturalist Armand David, while involucrata refers to the enclosing bracts whose shape gives rise to the names handkerchief tree and dove tree.

Propagation. Sow cleaned seed outdoors in a protected seed bed or deep pots after the fruits ripen. Germination is slow and irregular, often taking two years or longer; named selections are usually propagated by specialist grafting.

Accepted botanical name

Davidia involucrata

Native range

China South-Central and China Southeast.

Measured

Average height 2000 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.