Stewartia malacodendron aka Round Fruit Stewartia

Stewartia malacodendron, also known as the silky camellia, silky stewartia, or Virginia stewartia, is a slow-growing deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach heights of 3 to 4.5 meters (10 to 15 feet) and sometimes even up to 9 meters (30 feet). Native to the southeastern United States, this species belongs to the family Theaceae. The name "malacodendron" derives from its soft tree-like characteristics. The plant features ovate leaves and produces solitary white flowers with purple stamens, which resemble those of camellias. It thrives in understory woodlands and has rich brown bark. The young stems are hairy, and the branches grow horizontally from the main stem, with foliage sprouting from shorter stems branching off these horizontal branches. The dark green leaves, ranging from 50 to 100 mm (2.0 to 3.9 in) in length, have finely toothed margins and are covered in fine hairs on the undersides, particularly along the veins. The leaves are elliptical or ovate in shape with pointed tips. The flower buds are enveloped by two silvery-haired floral bracts. The showy flowers, which bloom from July to August in the northern part of its range and in April in the southern part, have five white petals and purple filaments with blue anthers. Each flower emerges singularly from the leaf axils on short stalks and is accompanied by two floral bracts that persist after flowering. The flowers also possess five green sepals. After flowering, rounded woody seed capsules develop, each containing 4 to 5 chambers. If fertilized, each chamber holds 2 to 4 ovoid, purplish to reddish-brown seeds, measuring 5 to 7 mm long and 4 to 6 mm wide.