Franklin Tree

Highlights

This is a rare and special tree, and an excellent example of the jaw-dropping beauty of North American native plants. Franklin trees were spotted in the wild in the 1700s and 1800s and have never been seen again. (The last confirmed sighting was in 1803.) We have Franklin trees today because early American botanists who found the tree over 250 years ago thankfully grabbed some seeds. Every single Franklin tree can be traced back to that fateful encounter. Plant one (or a few!) and bring your landscape within one degree of separation from early American history.

Is a Franklin tree right for my yard?

Yes, if…

• You want a statement tree with a jaw-dropping story. Nothing starts a conversation like “this tree has been extinct in the wild for over 200 years.”
• You have acidic soil. Franklin trees love a pH of 5.0–6.0. If azaleas or blueberries already grow well in your yard, that’s a great sign. (And if the words “acidic soil” make no sense: we got you! Scroll on to find out what it means.)
• You want late-season flowers. Most trees bloom in spring. Franklin tree blooms from late July into October, filling a gap in the garden when not much else is flowering.
• You want a small tree. Franklin tree tops out at 15–25 feet, making it ideal for front yards, garden anchors, or under power lines.
• You enjoy fall color. Franklin tree’s leaves turn crimson, orange, and scarlet, often while the white flowers are still blooming.
• You’re willing to invest a little extra care in the right planting spot. Franklin tree rewards attention to soil and drainage.

Skip it if…

• You have heavy clay soil with poor drainage. Standing water and Franklin trees don’t mix: root rot is their number-one enemy.
• You’re in the Deep South where cotton was historically grown. A soil-borne pathogen (likely Phytophthora) associated with cotton fields can be fatal to Franklin trees. This is actually a leading theory for why the tree went extinct in its native Georgia habitat. Crazy, right?
• You want a set-it-and-forget-it tree. Franklin tree isn’t hard to grow, but it does need the right spot and some attention in its first few years.
• You need a big shade tree. At 15–25 feet tall, Franklin tree is more of a garden accent than a canopy tree.
• Your soil is alkaline or neutral. Franklin tree will struggle and develop yellowing leaves (chlorosis) in anything above pH 6.0. (Again, if this sounds scary, scroll on to find out what it means.)

Why Franklin tree matters

A living piece of American history

The story behind the Franklin tree is similar to those about secret pirate treasure or a mythical lost city. Our story opens in 1765, when America was still in its metaphorical colonial diapers.

In October 1765, John Bartram (appointed royal botanist to King George III, who you might remember as the brat in the Broadway show Hamilton) and his son William were exploring forests along Georgia’s Altamaha River when they came across a small grove of unfamiliar trees growing in just 2–3 acres of riverbank. John noted “several very curious shrubs” in his journal.

Son William returned during his extended collecting expedition from 1773–1776 and brought seeds back to their home in Philadelphia. He grew them in the family garden (now known as Bartram’s Garden, still open to visitors today) and named the new genus after his father’s close friend: Benjamin Franklin.

The Latin name (Franklinia alatamaha) tells the whole story.

• Franklinia honors Ben Franklin.
• Alatamaha is the river where they found it.

By 1803, the last person to see a Franklin tree in the wild—English plant collector John Lyon—recorded a small stand near the river’s mouth. After that: nothing. The tree vanished from nature entirely.

As writer Patricia A. Taylor put it in her excellent book, Easy Care Native Plants: “Had William not returned later to collect seed and introduce it to ornamental gardens it would have disappeared.” Every Franklin tree you see today exists because one person had the foresight to grab seeds 250 years ago.

Why did it disappear?

A theory proposed by horticulturist Michael Dirr in the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants points to cotton farming. As cotton cultivation spread through the South, it brought soil-borne fungal pathogens (most likely Phytophthora cinnamomi, described as “one of the most devastating plant pathogens in the world”) into the area. These pathogens washed downstream and may be what killed off the wild Franklin tree population.

The evidence? Franklin trees grow perfectly well in northern gardens where cotton was never cultivated, but consistently fail in the southern soils where they once grew naturally. It’s a sobering example of how agriculture can drive a species to extinction in its own backyard.

Franklin tree had one of the smallest native ranges of any tree in North America. It grew wild in a single location: a 2–3 acre stretch along the Altamaha River near Fort Barrington in McIntosh County, Georgia, south of Savannah.

That’s it.

No other wild populations have ever been documented anywhere.

In cultivation, Franklin tree grows well in Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Northeast gardens and often struggles in the South (most likely because of the Phytophthora pathogen still lurking in southern soils).

Where Franklin tree shines in your yard

• Front yard statement tree: At 15–25 feet tall, Franklin tree is perfectly sized for front yards. It won’t block your house, and its late-summer flowers will stop neighbors in their tracks.
• Garden anchor: Use it as the centerpiece of a mixed bed with acid-loving shrubs and perennials. Its upright form gives the bed height and year-round structure.
• Conversation piece: There is no tree with a better story. “This tree has been extinct in the wild for 200 years” is guaranteed to get a reaction.
• Near streams or ponds: Franklin tree loves the consistent moisture near natural water features. Just make sure the soil drains well and doesn’t stay soggy.
• Under power lines: Its compact size means you’ll never have to worry about it growing into utility lines.
• Four-season interest: Summer and fall flowers, fiery fall color, sculptural winter bark, and lush spring leaves. Franklin tree earns its space every month of the year.

What do Franklin trees look like in the fall and winter?

Franklin trees’ leaves turn a bright reddish hue in the fall before falling, revealing gray, sculptural branches. Master gardener Carolyn Harstad, in her excellent book, Go Native!, describes it as “fiery orange-red fall foliage, and interesting gray bark.”

How to grow a Franklin tree

Sometimes landscapers and gardeners are scared off by Franklin tree’s reputation as “challenging.” But if you pick the right spot, Franklin tree is not hard to grow. It’s all about matching its needs from the start.

Soil

This is the most important factor. Franklin tree needs acidic soil with a pH of 5.0–6.0. If your soil is neutral or alkaline, the tree will develop chlorosis (yellowing leaves) and struggle. Good news: if azaleas, blueberries, or rhododendrons do well in your yard, Franklin tree probably will too. Mix in compost and, if needed, acidic amendments like sulfur or peat alternatives.

Or, you can take a great tip from master gardener Carolyn Harstad, and fertilize your Franklin tree with the branches from your Christmas tree! Yep, just cut the branches off and lay them around the Franklin tree to mimic nature.

Drainage

Excellent drainage is non-negotiable. Franklin tree’s root system is delicate and sparse, and it’s highly susceptible to root rot in waterlogged soil. Hills, raised beds, and well-drained slopes are ideal. French drains count too.

Moisture

Here’s where it gets nuanced: Franklin tree wants consistently moist soil, but never standing water. Think of a stream bank: damp but never flooded. Water regularly through the first two growing seasons, and during dry spells after that.

Sun

Full sun for the most flowers and the best fall color. Part sun works, especially afternoon shade, but flowering will be sparser.

The University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center (UMDHGIC) has a great overview video filled with planting tips:

What are good pairings for Franklin trees?

Franklin trees do wonderfully alongside other native shrubs and flowers that thrive in a similar environment—well-drained, consistently moist, loamy soil that’s acidic. Some great pairings include:

Where can I buy a Franklin tree?

We’re not going to lie to you—this plant may take a little bit of work to find. But it’s so worth it. To help you find one quickly, here are four ways to source a Franklin tree in your area:

Plant nerd fact

Genetically speaking, Franklin trees are about as rare as it gets

Franklin tree is in the tea family (Theaceae). That makes it a relative of the plant that gives us actual tea (Camellia sinensis), ornamental camellias, and Japanese stewartia. The family resemblance is obvious when you look at the flowers.

But as we now know, every Franklin tree on Earth—whether in botanic gardens from Boston to Berlin, in nurseries, or your backyard—descends from seeds collected by a single person (William Bartram) from a single grove (2–3 acres) in a single trip (the 1770s). A 2020 genomic study using genotyping-by-sequencing on 76 cultivated specimens found only two genetically distinguishable groups among all surviving trees.

The species survived extinction by the slimmest of margins. When you plant a Franklin tree, you’re keeping a 250-year chain of human stewardship unbroken.

What a special plant! And now you are asking…

To sum it all up and paraphrase native plant guru Carolyn Harstad—

Franklin trees are living proof that a single person can make a difference in our natural world. Without William Bartram’s act hundreds of years ago, we would be without this tree. Today, your actions in the garden carry that story forward. Franklin trees are incredible native trees perfect for front yards (included in our Best Native Trees for Front Yards round-up) and high-profile spots where their four-season beauty can shine: glossy green leaves in spring, creamy white flowers in late summer, fiery crimson and orange fall color, and sculptural gray bark in winter. Don’t be dissuaded by their reputation for being finicky. With acidic soil, good drainage, consistent moisture, and a sunny spot, you can grow this tree and enjoy its beauty for decades. Interested in trees that put gardens in the sky? Visit our Beginner’s Guide to Native Magnolias next. Happy planting!

Similar plants

• Bigleaf Magnolia
• Hackberry
• Possumhaw
• Serviceberry
• Smoke Tree
• Ashe Magnolia
• American Holly
• Umbrella Magnolia
• Sweetbay Magnolia

Written by

Emily Lessard

Founder & Editor, The Plant Native

Emily Lessard is the founder and editor of The Plant Native, the site that helps homeowners across North America get started with native plants. She holds a Sustainable Landscapes certificate through the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association, is finishing a Native Perennial Garden Design Certificate at Temple University, and is the author of Plant Native: A Practical Guide to Over 100 Native Plants of North America (Quarto, March 2027). She gardens outside Philadelphia in the 8.3 Southeastern Plains ecoregion.

Meet Emily

Updated June 20, 2026Find more: White · Acidic · Fall Foliage · Historic · Statement Tree · Tree · Summer · Fall · Full Sun · Part Sun

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