Meet the American Fringetree
American Fringetree | Chionanthus virginicus
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a small deciduous tree, usually multi-trunked (but can be trained into a single trunk).
My flowers are produced in hanging clusters 4”-10” long. Each individual flower has 4-5 narrow, thin petals. I am fragrant!
In summer I produce clusters of blue-black, olive-like fruit (if female).
My leaves are opposite, sometimes with slightly fuzzy undersides. They have a long oval shape.
My new stems are sometimes covered in a fine fuzz.
I have rough brown-gray bark that becomes more ridged with age.
How big do I grow?: 12’ - 20’ height and spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade. I prefer some afternoon shade in hot climates.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Well-drained soils. I can tolerate alkaline soils, some drought, and clay soils.
Hardiness: Zone 3-9
Original home: I am native to the eastern US, west to Oklahoma and Texas.
Colors: Prolific white flowers and females have showy blue-black fruit drupes. My foliage turns yellow in fall.
When I bloom: Spring.
Wildlife friends: My fruit is eaten by songbirds and some small mammals. I am also a host plant for the sphinx moth.
Flora Fun Facts: I have many common names including "Old Man's Beard" and "Grancy Graybeard." My Latin name Chionanthus comes from the Greek, meaning "snow-flower."
More Info: This small tree has so much to offer with its springtime display of white fluffy flowers and sweet floral scent. It is particularly stunning when paired with a bolder-textured plant, giving it a graceful, feathery quality.
A member of the Oleaceae (Olive) family.
This plant is dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female specimens and they must be planted together for the best fruit and flower display.
The male plants tend to have slightly showier flowers than the female plants, due to longer petals.
The bark has been used medicinally to treat liver and gall bladder ailments, though there is debate on its effectiveness.
A great selection for a woodland garden or a small specimen tree. Perfect for a small space such as a courtyard.
