Mystery Plant Monday - What is this tree?

My first post for Mystery Plant Monday, where I sleuth out the details of a puzzling plant or tree at Our Haven so that I know how to care for it or whether I want to continue with it, is for this lovely tree:  

See how nice and clean it is now? When we first moved in, this bed was a mess. Raspberry brambles had choked nearly everything.  This poor tree looked very sad, especially with no leaves (remember, we moved in in October). 

I'm not one for getting rid of the old and putting in new, but the thought crossed my mind after the umteenth hour of weeding and clearing just so the established plants could breathe.  It looks like once upon a time there was a very large fir tree (the trunk is still lying across the bed, now covered with other plants). I don't know how long the ferns will last in the abundance of sun the area now gets, but we'll see.  Back to the tree. . . 

After some judicious pruning, and removal of the brambles that were choking it, I gave it some tree vities and waited.  I am much better at recognizing trees in bloom, and with only the trunk and branches to clue me in, I had no idea what this was. 

Here it is last month. Looking healthy, and much happier. This reminds me, I want to research the variety of rhododendron seen in the picture. They were quite stunning. The flowers emerged peachy-pink and turned white.  If any of you know it, please let me know. 

Still no clue really what it was. I eliminated dogwood and flowering pear. I knew it wasn't any fruit or nut variety.  When the buds showed up, I thought maybe a variety of magnolia - but it didn't have the hard, shiny leaves I recognize.  Still no idea . . . 

Yesterday, I decided to sleuth it out once and for all. I took some photos (distance, close up, leaf, and bud) and headed in to my books (I'm old school - I always consult my garden reference books first, then the net). I mean, I can have my books right there with me in the garden and they don't mind a little dirt. My computer on the other hand . . .

  

It didn't look like anything I had in my reference books, so I turned to my computer and the internet. Here I got to practice what I try to get my students to understand - the best way to do digital research is to ask the write question with specific parameters.  With images in hand (like the super close up of the flower and leaves as well as the tree itself) 

I put in what I knew: deciduous, white flower, peeling bark. Then I switched my Google search to images and VOILA! There she was!  I found a few images with flowers that matched so off I went to sleuth more information. One of the resources I use online is Dave's Garden. It's a great resource for general plan care and characteristic information.  

Here's what I learned: My mystery tree is a Korean Stewartia.  

  Family: Theaceae (tee-AY-see-ee)

    Genus: Stewartia (stew-ART-ee-uh)

       Species: pseudocamellia var. koreana

It will grow to 20-30 feet and it's hardy in zones 5a - 8b. It prefers light shade but will tolerate full sun and acidic to strongly acidic soil (5.1-6.0).   It blooms late spring to early summer, after most other deciduous trees are finished. It needs regular watering, but I need to be careful not to over water.  

According to Willis Orchard Company the Korean Stewartia tree is an "all season performer"  as it's autumn foliage is quite striking (can't wait to see it). The bark peels off and exposes contrasting colors beneath (I have to take a closer look). They recommend Stewartia for patios, entry or even as a canopy walkway over a sidewalk.

Mystery solved. Now to add the details to my garden journal.