Am I Taking Good Care Of My Carolina Silverbell Tree?

Did you planted your Carolina silverbell in partial shade or full sun?

Did you planted your tree in well-drained, slightly acidic soil?

Do you water your Carolina silverbell tree regularly?

Did you feed your tree every spring until it got established?

Did you prune your tree to give it form and to remove dead branches?

Do you keep your Carolina silverbell tree free of pests and diseases?

Carolina silverbell grows best in part shade conditions but will also do well in full sun. If your tree is growing in complete shade, consider replanting it while it's still a sapling.

This tree prefers medium-moisture, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It grows well in conditions similar to those azaleas and rhododendrons. If soil conditions are not acidic enough, the tree will turn yellow with chlorosis. If your soil is not acidic, try adding iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate, sulfur, or sphagnum peat moss.

Carolina silverbell likes fairly moist soil, so dry conditions will call for frequent irrigation, especially when the tree is young. Once established, it has moderate tolerance for drought.

Give this plant an organic fertilizer when you plant, then each spring until the tree is fully established. After this, no feeding is necessary.

This plant may form multiple trunks, so choosing one as a central leader when it is in its early years and pruning away the lower branches can help give this a tree form. As with any tree, damaged or diseased branches should be removed.

Good job! You are taking good care of your Carolina silverbell tree.

No pests are a major concern for Carolina silverbell trees. Occasional aphid attack is to be expected, but they won't make any real damage to the tree. Make sure not to overwater the tree to avoid root rot.