I <3 my Stewartia

[auntie]

I planted a small stewartia not long after we bought this house and started renovating the landscape. It's really come into its own the last couple years. I love that it has delicate flowers in June when most trees and shrubs are done blooming. I love that the flowers are visited by fluffy photogenic bumblebees.

I still want a Franklinia, but it will have to live in my back yard.

[treedimensional]

Bravo on your tree choices! I have both of those. They are in their 2nd year in my backyard.
Do you think Franklinia won't work in your zone?

[auntie]

I can't find one locally. I know I'm at the edge of their hardiness zone. Some of my neighbors have those evergreen magnolias which are similarly hardy. They don't seem to be thriving, so I'm hesitant.

[treedimensional]

It has a reputation for being difficult, which may be well deserved. Mine doesn't seem to tolerate pruning... remove one twig and the whole branch dies, for example. That's on top of random branch dieback, with no apparent cause. It just seems to be a very sensitive plant.
It doesn't help that a large overhead branch fell on it and broke it in half shortly after I planted it. I became discouraged and dug it up and put it back into a large pot. I was not optimistic, but to my surprise, it looks much better since I potted it.