Halesia diptera aka American Snowdrop Tree

Halesia diptera, also known as the two-wing silverbell or two-winged snowdrop tree, is a species in the Styracaceae family. It is native to the southeastern United States, stretching from South Carolina and Florida to eastern Texas. This tree is often cultivated as an ornamental due to its beautiful white flowers, which are produced in clusters of 3-6 and appear in spring, along with its deciduous, dark green leaves that turn yellow in the fall. Halesia diptera can grow up to 8 meters tall and has a rounded form. Its fruit is a dry drupe with two wings down the sides, which distinguishes it from other Halesia species, which have four wings on the fruit. Wildlife, such as squirrels, eat the sour green fruit before it ripens. The cultivar 'Magnifora' is more drought-tolerant and produces more flowers than the species. Halesia diptera has a better floral display than H. carolina, although it blooms 1-2 weeks later. The genus name honors the English physiologist, chemist, and inventor Reverend Stephen Hales, while the specific epithet comes from the Greek words di meaning two and ptera meaning wings, referring to the two wings on the fruit of this plant.