Halesia monticola Variegata

Superbly ornamental, very floriferous and rare, Halesia monticola variegata is a deciduous small tree, robust and vigorous, with a bushy growth habit, and its bark is veined with grey and black. It has bright green foliage, edged with creamy yellow, turning yellow in autumn. From April to May, often before the foliage appears, it is covered in abundant spring flowering, with clusters of large white bell-shaped flowers hanging from the branches. In June, winged fruits appear, reaching maturity in autumn and persisting on the tree throughout winter. A beautiful shrub that, when in full bloom, looks like it is covered in artificial snow!

Halesia monticola or Mountain Silverbell, more commonly known as Silverbell Tree or Snowdrop Tree, is native to the southeastern mountains of the United States, and belongs to the Styracaceae family. It is a robust and vigorous tree, with a rather slow growth rate, and its crown is broadly conical. Its habit is erect, but it often tends to develop as a multi-stemmed bush, with its branches arching at the ends. In its natural habitat, it can reach heights of up to 12 or even 18 m (59 ft 1 in), with a spread of 8 m (26 ft 2 in), but its size, in our latitudes, rarely exceeds 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in height, with a width of 2 to 3 m (6 ft 7 in to 9 ft 10 in). The light brown bark of its trunk peels off in plates, revealing grey and black veins. The Variegata cultivar has deciduous foliage, composed of oval and tapering leaves, fuzzy when young, of a beautiful light green colour edged with creamy yellow, and turning yellow in autumn. In April-May, before or at the same time as the leaves, abundant clusters of hanging bell-shaped white flowers, measuring 1.5 to 3 cm (0.6 to 1.2 in) in length appear on the previous year's wood. They are followed, in July, by characteristic green ovoid fruits, with 4 wings, maturing in autumn and persisting on the bare tree throughout winter.

The genus Halesia was named in honour of Reverend Stephen Hales (1677-1761), a British physiologist, chemist, and inventor. A pioneer in experimental plant physiology, he notably observed water losses in plants through evaporation, variations in the absorption power of roots at different times of the day, and the growth rate of shoots and leaves.

This splendid variegated-leaved Silverbell Tree, with its bright green foliage, edged with creamy yellow, will illuminate the shady areas of the garden. It will be perfect at the back of a border, planted among a group of shrubs, or under the canopy of large trees. Pair it with colourful foliage trees, such as a Purple Birch, Japanese Maple, Spindle Tree, or Lamarck's Serviceberry. In a shrub border, it will brighten the presence of Camellia, Aspera Hydrangea, Nuttall's Dogwood, Viburnum, Hazel, or Witch Hazel. It can also be planted as a standalone specimen, where its elegant white flowering and magnificent variegated foliage will be ideally showcased.