Silverbell is any of a group of trees or shrubs with bell-shaped flowers. These flowers have four petals that grow from the base and are normally white in color. Silverbells possess pointed leaves with serrated (toothed) edges. Their dark brown fruits have winglike structures and contain one to three seeds.
Silverbells are native to eastern North America and eastern Asia. A well-known North American species, the Carolina silverbell, ranges from West Virginia to northern Florida. The Carolina silverbell usually grows no more than 40 feet (12 meters) tall and generally occurs in lower elevations. However, a variety of this tree can reach a height of 90 feet (27 meters), taller than any other silverbell. It lives in mountainous areas and is commonly called the mountain silverbell. Some mountain silverbells can produce beautiful pink flowers. The only Asian species of silverbell, the Chinese silverbell, grows in eastern China and may reach 75 feet (23 meters) in height.
People throughout Europe and the northeastern and midwestern United States plant silverbells in gardens. The larger trees also yield valuable timber.
