The genus Halesia is composed of about four species native to the United States [3] and China [1]. The genus Halesia was dedicated to Stephen Hales (1677–1761), British clergyman and author of Vegetable Staticks (1722).
Halesia carolina bell-tree, bell olivetree, bellwood, box-elder, Carolina silverbell, catbell, Florida silverbell, four-winged halesia, little silverbell, no-name-tree, opossum, opossumwood, mountain silverbell, rattle-box, silverbell-tree, silver-tree, snowdrop-tree, tisswood, wild olivetree
Halesia diptera cowlicks, silverbell-tree, snowdrop-tree, southern silverbell-tree, two wing silverbell
Halesia parviflora Florida silverbell, little silverbell
Distribution: Southeastern United States and China.
The Tree: Silverbells are shrubs or trees with scaly reddish-brown bark. The leaves and small branches are covered with stellate (star-shaped) hairs. The showy white flowers are produced in small, pendulous clusters. They produce dry, winged fruits (drupe). Silverbells can reach a height of 100 ft (30 m), although they normally grow to 40 ft (12 m). The bark is thin, separating into slightly ridged, reddish-brown scales.
General Wood Characteristics: The wood of silverbell is brown, strong, dense and close grained. It has a wide white sapwood and a pale brown heartwood. The wood had medium luster and no odor or taste. The texture is fine and uniform, with a straight grain.
Weighta
Weight
Moisture Specific lb/ft3 kg/m3
content gravity
Green 0.42 44 705
12% 0.45 32 513
Ovendry 0.48 NA NA
aReference (59).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green Dry
MOE 1.16 106 7.998 GPa 1.32 106 9.101 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 6.50 103 44.818 MPa 8.60 103 59.297 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 2.83 103 19.513 MPa 5.13 103 35.371 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.43 103 2.965 MPa 0.68 103 4.689 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 8.8 60.676 kJ/m3 6.9 in-lbf/in3 47.576
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
Hardness 470 lbf 2,090.56 N 590 lbf 2,624.32 N
Shear| | 0.93 103 6.412 MPa 1.18 103 8.136 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
aReference (59).
Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of shrinkage
(green to final moisture
content)
Type of 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
shrinkage
Tangential 7.6 NA NA
Radial 3.8 NA NA
Volumetric 12.6 NA NA
aReference (59).
Working Properties: Good.
Durability: Resistant to nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Paneling, cabinetwork.
Toxicity: No information available at this time.
Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74. 55, 66, 68, 74, 79. 28, 29, 42, 43, 44, 48, 50, 55, 56, 68, 72, 73, 74, 79, 92, 97, 102. 74, 75, 77, 99, 106. 101.