Fried egg tree

Closely related to camellias, the fried egg tree features distinctive white and yolk-hued flowers and a no-fuss personality,

Iam always pleased to see a gordonia growing in a garden. It’s usually an older, more established garden, as these plants are not commonly used in contemporary designs. However, this is such a rewarding plant that it deserves to be highlighted in the modern garden.

I planted my first gordonia in a friend’s garden about 45 years ago. Every time I visit in autumn, it’s flowering its head off and growing with very little attention.

Gordonias originate from China and Taiwan, with a couple of species from north America. The one most commonly available in Australia is Gordonia axillaris, which is an evergreen shrub to small tree with glossy, deep green leaves.

The large flowers are 10cm or more wide, with pure white petals and a striking centre of yellow stamens, giving rise to its common name: fried egg tree. It flowers from late autumn into winter, and as the blooms fall they land ‘sunny side up’ creating a carpet of ‘fried eggs’.

If you admire camellias, gordonias will also please you, as they are closely related. Both are in the Theaceae, or tea, family, and they need similar treatment, preferring to grow in well-drained, compost-rich, acidic soil.

They need very little pruning, but if a tree gets too long and lanky, it can be easily tamed by taking off the wayward growth to make it a more manageable height. Spread compost and organic fertiliser around the root zone every spring and top up mulch when required.

Grown as a small standalone feature tree, gordonia has a pleasing habit with an attractive trunk and a slightly gnarled and twisted branch structure. Plants can also be spaced 1–2m apart to create a beautiful clipped hedge or screen along a fence or at the back of a garden bed. The many attributes of gordonia make it an excellent choice for training as an espalier along a fence or trellis, too.

Gordonias can be planted at any time of year and grow best in warm temperate to subtropical areas. Once well established, these are tough and generally trouble-free plants, although they may need some protection from heavy frosts and scorching hot summer winds, which can burn the leaves.