Flowering tree

Franklin tree

Franklinia alatamaha

Franklin tree (Franklinia alatamaha) is a tree in the Theaceae family, native in the lower 48 states.

🌷 Flowering treeNative in the lower 48

Franklin tree is a popular flowering tree. It's on our flower lists for 18 states.

1states where USDA records it

18Bloomipedia state lists include it

0U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Our state lists also include states where people grow it in gardens, so they can outnumber USDA's wild-plant records. Planted garden trees are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington

Quick look

Franklinia is a monotypic genus in the tea family, Theaceae. The sole species in this genus is a flowering tree, Franklinia alatamaha, commonly called Franklinias or the Franklin tree, and native to the Altamaha River valley in Georgia in the southeastern United States. It has been extinct in the wild since the early 19th century, but survives as a cultivated ornamental tree.
From Wikipedia's article Franklinia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Theaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 1 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 30 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}

When does it bloom?

Not enough flowering records on iNaturalist to chart yet.

Bloom time in the 18 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom
Alabama	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Connecticut	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Delaware	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Georgia	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Massachusetts	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Maryland	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Missouri	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
North Carolina	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
New Jersey	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
New York	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Ohio	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Oregon	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Pennsylvania	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Rhode Island	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
South Carolina	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Tennessee	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Virginia	🌷 Garden	no flowering records
Washington	🌷 Garden	no flowering records

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)

Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Species of Concern,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. ^{USFWS ECOS}

NatureServe global

GH Possibly extirpated (known only from historical records) worldwide. ^NatureServe

State rare plant lists

Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 15 of our 18 states.

See each state

Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe has no Connecticut rank for it. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Delaware: Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe has no Delaware rank for it. ^{DE rare plants 2024}
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SX, presumed extirpated in Georgia. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. ^{MESA list}
Maryland: Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe has no Maryland rank for it. ^{COMAR 08.03.08}
Missouri: Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. ^{3 CSR 10-4.111}
North Carolina: Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. ^{02 NCAC 48F .0301}
New Jersey: Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. ^{N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1}
New York: Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe has no New York rank for it. ^{6 NYCRR § 193.3}
Ohio: Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. ^{OAC 1501:18-1-03}
Oregon: Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe has no Oregon rank for it. ^{OAR 603-073-0070}
Pennsylvania: Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. ^{17 Pa. Code Ch. 45}
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe has no Rhode Island rank for it. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
Tennessee: Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe has no Tennessee rank for it. ^{TN rule 0400-06-02-.04}
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe has no Virginia rank for it. ^2VAC5-320-10

Alabama

No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe has no Alabama rank for it.

South Carolina

No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe has no South Carolina rank for it.

Washington

No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe has no Washington rank for it.

Rare elsewhere

No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records franklin tree in 1 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Georgia.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Franklin tree a medium shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 7.0 and winter lows down to -3 °F.

Shade tolerance: Medium
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: High
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium
Soil pH range: 5.5 to 7.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -3 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 200
Annual precipitation range: 32 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth: 24 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Medium
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Fall to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for FRAL. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Gordonia alatamaha, Gordonia pubescens.

More from the Theaceae family (3 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Japanese camellia, Sasanqua camellia, Japanese stewartia.

More Alabama flowers

Sasanqua camellia

Camellia sasanqua

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Alabama gardens

Japanese camellia

Camellia japonica

★ AL state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌷 Grown in Alabama gardens

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in AL: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile FRAL.
iNaturalist, Franklinia alatamaha: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Wikipedia, Franklinia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
State rare and invasive plant lists (31):
Show all 31 state lists
- Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
- Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
- Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
- Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
- Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
- Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
- Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
- Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
- Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
- New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
- New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
- New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 23, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Franklinia alatamaha (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Andrew Conboy via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.