How did the Franklin tree go extinct?

The Franklin tree, or Franklinia alatamaha, went extinct in the wild due to habitat loss and overharvesting in the early 19th century. Native to a small area in Georgia, it was last seen in its natural habitat around 1803. Although it was cultivated in gardens, the tree could not survive in its native environment due to the destruction of its ecosystem. Today, all existing Franklin trees are descended from those cultivated by botanists John and William Bartram.