Halesia carolina

Halesia carolina, also called snowdrop tree, is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a broad crown and strikingly striped young branches. It blooms profusely from the end of April to the end of May with a sea of white hanging bells on the still bare twigs. The leaves that follow are medium green and oval in shape, turning an inconspicuous yellow to yellow-brown in autumn. Four-winged lime green (edible) fruits also appear after flowering, which slowly turn brown as autumn progresses. The snowdrop tree likes a sheltered position and not too calcareous soil, it is hardy, attracts bees and butterflies but is not resistant to sea wind or air pollution.