Bee Bee Tree Tetradium daniellii
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Euodia daniellii
- Euodia delavayi
- Euodia henryi
- Euodia vestita
- Zanthoxylum daniellii
- Phonetic Spelling
- tet-ra-DE-um dan-ee-EL-ee-eye
- Description
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Named after a British army surgeon William Freeman Daniell, the bee-bee tree is a flowering tree with a rounded umbrella-shaped form. The common name comes from the seed pods that are produced after flowering, containing small, rounded, pellet-like seeds, resembling the familiar bee-bee.
Plant it in the full sun in moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It will tolerate a little shade. It works well as a woodland or lawn tree. However, when not controlled or monitored, it can become somewhat invasive. From one individual planted tree, a dense infestation can occur. In some locations, it has escaped cultivation, forming a dense understory under canopy trees. Some classify this tree as weedy.
A bonus for pollinators, it blooms in late summer when there is not much else blooming. It will begin blooming when the tree reaches a height of 6-8' tall.
Oils from the fruits are sometimes used for cooking.
The leaves may display some color in the fall, but the tree often loses its leaves while they are still green.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Tetradium
- Species:
- daniellii
- Family:
- Rutaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tibet, China
- Wildlife Value:
- The fruits attract birds. Honey bees are especially attracted to the flowers. Also attracts butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Fragrance
- Shade
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Dimensions:
- Height: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Once the flowers have completed their blooming, seed pods form that will split open when they ripen. The pods will produce small, rounded black seeds, 2 per pod.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- White flowers with hints of pink or yellow grow on 4-6" long, flattened corymbs.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The compound leaves can reach a length of up to 18" long and each have from 7 to 11 leaflets that range from 2-5" long. The upper side of the leaves is dark green, while the underside is a lighter green. The underside is also pubescent, having hairs.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Olive green stems become gray/brown in the second year. They are also lenticel and are covered with a velvet hair.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Patio
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Weedy
