Pinus occidentalis

Two-winged silverbell, a tree native to the southeastern US, is a really pretty spring-flowering tree for smaller garden spaces. Delicate white flowers dangle from its branches in spring, drawing in pollinators. This compact tree is easy to grow and tolerates short periods of wet soil, making it a smart pick for a rain garden.

Common names: Two-winged silverbell, snowdrop tree

Botanical name: Halesia diptera

Origin: Halesia diptera is native to the southeastern United States, from South Carolina and Arkansas down to Florida and Texas. In the wild, you'll find it in rich woods and along the edges of swamps.

Flowers: Downward-facing white flowers open in mid-spring. The variety Halesia diptera var. magniflora has larger flowers.

Foliage: The broad oval leaves stay medium green from spring through autumn, then turn yellow and drop off.

Size and habit: Two-winged silverbell reaches 15 to 30 feet tall with a rounded crown stretching 15 to 25 feet wide. In garden settings, Halesia diptera typically stays on the smaller end of that range. You can grow it as a large shrub since it has low branches and multiple stems, or easily train it as a small single-trunk tree — just pick one stem as the trunk, remove the others, and limb up the lowest branches to create a higher canopy.

Growing two-winged silverbell

Exposure: Part sun to dappled shade

How to grow it: Think about where this tree grows in the wild when you pick a spot for it. This eastern native does best in acidic to neutral soil. Since it naturally grows at swamp edges and in damp woodlands, it can handle stints of wet soil (but not standing water) and prefers some shade. It loves that moisture-retentive, humusy forest soil — you can recreate that in your garden by topdressing annually with compost and/or fallen leaves. That doubles as mulch, or you could underplant with perennials that act as a living mulch. Hardy in USDA Zones 5–9.

Image by Daderot - Own work, CC0