While a wide palate of exceptional plant selections is available to Southern gardeners, many harbor a deep-seated yearning to seek out even more exotic or historic specimens to further elevate their landscapes. The Franklin Tree, Franklinia alatamaha, is one such specimen that many gardeners, both professional and amateur, have sought to grow with little success. One of only four species in the Theaceae — the tea — family, native to the southeastern United States, the Franklin Tree has an incredible story.

One of the first and most influential American botanists and a nurseryman, William Bartram, first observed the species near the Altamaha River in Georgia in 1765 and collected seed one time, around 1776. Upon his return to Philadelphia, Bartram planted these seeds at his nursery, establishing the species in the horticultural trade. The Franklin Tree has never again been seen in the wild, with all existing populations descending from Bartram’s collection. As if this fascinating pedigree were not enough, the tree itself sports huge, white, lightly fragrant flowers layered over its commanding but manageable form, all at the height of the punishing Southern summer. It is seemingly puzzling then that it is not seen more often in public or private gardens, though it is not for want of trying.

Unfortunately, Franklinia has a fatal flaw in its susceptibility to the soil borne fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi, likely introduced to North America by Europeans. Nearly all attempts to grow Franklinia ultimately either fail or rely on periodic applications of fungicide to the entire root zone — an expensive and ecologically unsound practice. Undaunted by this considerable challenge, Tom Ranney at North Carolina State’s Mountain Crop Improvement Lab set his sights on a solution.

While no resistance exists to the fungal pathogen within the truncated Franklinia gene pool, the closest relative to Franklinia in the Southeast, Gordonia lasianthus, does not struggle from the same susceptibility. While intergeneric hybridization is difficult and often impossible, Tom and his team, after multiple attempts, were ultimately successful in crossing the two species. A very small percentage of the resulting seeds were viable, and an even smaller percentage of the resulting seedlings had sufficient vigor to survive. Thankfully, one of those progenies combined the physical hardiness of Gordonia with the superior ornamental characteristics of Franklinia. The tree now available to consumers as x Gordlinia grandiflora — sold with the trademark ‘Sweet Tea’ by The Southern Living Plant Collection — finally delivers on the original promise of Franklinia for both personal and public gardens across the South.

Gordlinia performs best when provided with full sun and well-drained soil but is tolerant of difficult planting sites and urban conditions. It is a versatile small- to medium-sized tree that can be employed in many different ways in the garden, including but not limited to a front yard specimen, interplanted with other trees behind garden beds, elegant espaliers, and even in large containers when young. While no viable seed is produced, the flowers are nonetheless relished by a myriad of insects including bumblebees and honeybees. Given that Gordlinia blooms in summer and requires no regular insecticidal or fungicidal treatments, it can be an exciting replacement for crepe myrtles, which are currently suffering from an introduced bark scale. Should the interest arise, Gordlinia is not patent protected and is fairly easy to propagate from stem cuttings, just as the new year’s growth transitions from green to woody. While big box stores do now sometimes carry it, local independent garden centers are the best place to look for Gordlinia and are more likely to have interesting and appropriate companion plants for your region. Ultimately, Gordlinia will likely take its place among the other treasured passalong plants of the South.