The wispy white flower clusters of common fringetree add a delightful haze to the spring garden. This native to the southeastern United States is a hardy deciduous large shrub or small tree that naturally inhabits moist woodlands. It covers a broad range of distribution, from New York State to Texas, so it is best to plant from regional stock.
When mature, the common fringetree develops an irregular, spreading crown. Its leaves are oblong and medium green with varying degrees of glossiness. The lightly fragrant, feathery white flowers appear in mid to late spring before the leaves fully emerge. Plants are either male or female, or dioecious. After pollination by bees, the female trees form clusters of small waxy dark blue fruits that are eaten by birds. The foliage turns muted yellow-brown shades in fall.
Grow the common fringetree in full sun to partial shade and acid to neutral soil that’s moist and fertile. It blooms on one year old wood, so be sure to only prune after it flowers. Otherwise, you may prune off next year’s flower buds. In cold regions it grows more slowly and adopts a shrubbier habit; where winters are mild it becomes more tree-like. Fringetree has few pest and disease problems but is favored by deer.
This is a breathtaking plant for the garden. Plant it as a specimen for a large foundation, in a mixed border or an open woodland garden among dogwoods, redbuds and azaleas. (Source: Learn2Grow.com)
Genus - Chionanthus
Species - Virginicus
Common name - White Fringe tree
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 4 - 9
Height - 12'-20' / 3.7m - 6.1m
Spread - 10'-16' / 3.0m - 4.9m
Plant type - Tree
Vegetation type - Deciduous ornamental
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Slow
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral
Soil type - Clay, Loam, Well drained
Water requirements - Average Water
Landscape uses - Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Germination rate - 88%
Bloom season - Spring, Late Spring
Leaf / Flower color - Green, Dark Green / White