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Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

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  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

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    • Available to buy
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    • Essentially stable in form & colour
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Davidia involucrata

handkerchief tree

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
RHS Plant Shop from £99.99 Sold by 55 nurseries

  • Other common names handkerchief tree
    dove tree

    ghost tree
    pocket handkerchief tree

    see more

  • Family Nyssaceae

  • Genus Davidia is a medium-sized, deciduous tree with ovate leaves and small, dark green flower-clusters each subtended by two large white bracts and followed by ovoid greenish-brown fruits

  • Details D. involucrata is a medium-sized deciduous tree with bright green, broadly ovate leaves to 15cm in length. Flowers very small, in rounded heads 2cm in width, held within a pair of creamy-white, ovate bracts to 20cm in length

  • Plant range SW China

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Spreading / Branched

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H5

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or North-facing or West-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained

  • SoilChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Higher than 12 metres

  • Ultimate spread wider than 8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Easy to grow in a sheltered position in sun or partial shade, but young specimens may not flower

Propagation Propagate by seed or hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types Low Maintenance City & Courtyard Gardens Patio & Container Plants Architectural Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1

Pests Generally pest free

Diseases Generally disease free

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RHS Plants Shop

Davidia involucrata

handkerchief tree

Buy from £99.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £99.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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