The handkerchief tree, also called in England ghost tree, is a tree species of great ornamental value. From mid-spring to all summer it is covered with showy white, handkerchief-like inflorescences given by the leaves that act as the "shell" for the flowers.
Its Latin name, davidia involucrata derives instead from Father Armando David (1826/1900) a French missionary who lived in China for a long time and was an accomplished naturalist.
It was he who first described the handkerchief tree in 1869 when he found a single specimen in the Chinese mountains at over 2,000 mt above sea level. He managed to send some dried parts to the Paris herbarium for classification, awakening curiosity in various European botanists, including Ernest H. Wilson.
The latter set off to China in search of the tree, but discovered that these trees had been cut down for wood-making.
Scouring the area, however, he found others, picked them up and took them with him by ship to Europe. The ship unfortunately sank, but fortunately some of the handkerchief trees were saved and reached Europe.
After a few years the species also arrived in Italy. Today there is a beautiful specimen in Burcina Park near Biella.
Burcina park is a true enchanted garden, far from the noise of the city. A peaceful oasis where many species of impressive trees can be found: beeches, redwoods, oaks, magnolias, hydrangeas, rhododendrons and many other wonderful plants.
