Chionanthus virginicus
An eastern North American native tree or large shrub typically reaching 12–20 ft tall, with opposite glossy leaves and fragrant fringe-like white flowers in drooping clusters that yield bluish-black drupes on female plants and bright yellow fall foliage, tolerating a wide range of soils and sun exposure in moist, fertile, slightly acidic soils.
Common Names
White Fringetree, Old Man's Beard, Fringe Tree, Fringetree, Grancy Graybeard, Grandfather Graybeard, White Fringe Tree, North American Fringe Tree, Snowflower Tree, Virginian Snow Flower, Sweetheart Tree
Summary
Chionanthus virginicus, the fringe tree, is a North American native small tree or large shrub with a spreading, multi-stemmed habit typically 12–20 ft tall and wide, it features fragrant, creamy-white fringe-like flowers in late spring arranged in airy panicles about 4–6 inches long, with male flowers usually more showy than female ones; bluish-black drupes appear on female plants in late summer, leaves are opposite and simple, up to about 8 inches long, turning yellow in autumn, and the bark is light gray-brown with ridges, adding winter interest, in cultivation it prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, fertile, well-drained soils, tolerating clay and urban conditions, and is hardy in USDA zones 3–9, it does not tolerate prolonged dry spells, benefits from regular watering during establishment, and requires little pruning beyond removing damaged wood, it can be used as a specimen, in borders, native plant gardens, or near streams or ponds, and provides wildlife value by attracting bees to the flowers and birds to the fruit; overall, it is relatively pest- and disease-free with occasional susceptibility to scale and borers in dry locations
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-20 feet
Spread
12-20 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun to Partial Sun.
Soil Type
Moist, well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Moist, well-drained soil
Soil pH
5.5-7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Green to yellow-green foliage that turns yellow in autumn.
Fall Foliage Color
Yellow, yellow-green, yellow-brown
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Slow growth (about 6–12 inches per year)
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Bees, Birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 8 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Genus
- Chionanthus
Synonyms
Linociera cotinifolia Ligustrum cotinifolium Chionanthus angustifolius Chionanthus cotinifolius Chionanthus fragrans Chionanthus heterophylus Chionanthus latifolius Chionanthus longifolius Chionanthus luteus Chionanthus maritimus Chionanthus montanus Chionanthus obovatus Chionanthus roseus Chionanthus trifidus Chionanthus triflorus Chionanthus vernalis Chionanthus vernus Chionanthus virginicus var. latifolius Chionanthus virginicus var. maritimus Chionanthus virginicus subsp. maritimus Chionanthus virginicus var. montanus Chionanthus zeylanicus Chionanthus virginicus var. angustifolius