
Fringetree — Slow to Bloom but Worth the Wait
When we consider flowering trees in the spring landscape, we naturally think of our favorites, such as redbuds, dogwoods, serviceberries, flowering cherries and plums. Yet another lovely tree belongs in that auspicious group. I’m referring to Chionanthus virginicus — our native fringetree.
In A Natural History of Trees of Eastern and Central North America, author Donald Culross Peattie, a mid-20th century botanist, naturalist, and prolific nature writer, wrote: “The Fringetree is as gracile and feminine-seeming as any that grows beside the rushing stream or climbs the warm slopes of the Blue Ridge under the shelter of sturdier growths.” Peattie further mused: “… it is a raving beauty when in mid-spring it is loaded from top to bottom with the airiest, most ethereal yet showy flowers boasted by any member of our northern sylva.” Wow! What an expressive choice of terms to describe one of the most enchanting spring-flowering trees in North America.
Dr. Michael A. Dirr, plantsman extraordinaire, has his own take on the value of the fringetree, recommending it for consideration in his Manual of Woody Landscape Plants “…as the national shrub for even dogwood does not carry itself with such refinement, dignity and class when in flower….”
Given Peattie’s and Dirr’s clear affections for this tree, it deserves to be better known and more widely used in the landscape.
FRINGETREE DESCRIPTION
In 1737, Linnaeus named this plant Chionanthus virginicus (pronounced kee-oh-NAN-thus ver-JIN-ih-kus), which is derived from a combination of the Greek words chion (snow) and anthos (flower). Its many common names include old man’s beard, Grancy graybeard, flowering ash, white fringetree, or simply fringetree, which most people prefer. A member of the Oleaceae genus, fringetree is related to the lilac, privet, forsythia, jasmine, ash tree and olive tree.
Native to the United States, fringetree originated in Missouri and eventually spread throughout the eastern half of the country as far north as New Jersey, south to Florida, and west to Oklahoma and Texas. It has proven to be fairly hardy in USDA Zones 4 – 9 and, thanks to the nursery trade, has been planted throughout most of the New England states and points west. Historically, Native Americans used the bark and flowers for medicinal purposes to treat skin inflammations, sores and wounds.
A slow-growing, large shrub or small, deciduous ornamental tree, fringetree matures at 12 to 20 feet in height and 12 to 20 feet in width in the urban landscape. In the wild, the tree may grow 25 to 30 feet tall with a similar spread. At full maturity, the tree is typically broader than it is tall with a spreading, often irregularly shaped crown that is somewhat open in appearance. The crown is generally supported by multiple short trunks close to the ground, which gives the plant a shrub-like appearance.
Its appeal lies in its generous clusters of fragrant, fringed white blossoms, which appear in late spring after other spring-flowering trees have finished blooming. The fringetree is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers occur on different plants. The male flowers tend to be showier than female flowers, but both are lovely. Each flower is comprised of four long, narrow petals and occurs in drooping, 4 to 8-inch long clusters at the ends of the branches. When in full bloom, the delicate, airy-looking blossoms give the tree a cloud-like appearance. The flowers give off a delicate, sweet, spicy fragrance, making the plant all the more endearing in the spring landscape.
The narrow, elliptic 3 to 8-inch long leaves are medium to dark green with a waxy appearance. The leaves tend to emerge very late in spring after the flowers bloom and turn a dull yellow in fall. The pale gray or brown bark is smooth on young branches but becomes ridged and furrowed as the trunks and branches mature.
In late summer, the females bear fruit in clusters of grape-size, dark blue, fleshy drupes resembling olives. This is understandable, considering that olive trees are members of the same genus. The fruits are favored by birds, such as blue jays, cardinals, mockingbirds and wild turkeys.
CULTIVARS AND RELATED SPECIES
While the straight species is the primary form available commercially, a few cultivars are also available, including:
- ‘Emerald Knight,’ a male cultivar (flowers but no fruit) with an upright form, dense crown, and handsome, dark green, glossy leaves.
- ‘Prodigy,’ a smaller selection with a rounded habit and dense clouds of blossoms.
- ‘Spring Fleecing,’ another small selection that is very floriferous. An award-winning male cultivar, it has narrow, glossy dark green leaves.
A related species that is native to eastern Asia also grows in this country. Chionanthus retusus, or Chinese fringetree, was Introduced here in 1845. It looks very similar to our native species but is less hardy (USDA zones 6 to 8). By comparison, our native species tends to have a more open canopy whereas the Chinese species is denser in appearance. The Chinese species is a little larger (15 to 25 feet tall) than our native species but the leaves and flower clusters are smaller. Both species bloom at about the same time in late spring.
CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS
Fringetree is very versatile and adaptable to a wide range of soils and light conditions. It grows well in full sun but does better if given a little filtered shade as respite from hot summer sun. Although it prefers deep, acidic, moist, well-drained soil, it is fairly adaptable to drier soils.
Once it is established, fringetree requires little, if any, maintenance. If any pruning is needed, prune immediately after it flowers to allow the branches sufficient time to develop next year’s flower buds. The shrub-like form can be shaped into a small tree form by pruning the lower limbs and foliage away.
Fringetree is relatively problem free. It may occasionally be bothered by scales, mites, or borers if grown in a dry site. There is some concern that it may be attacked by the Emerald Ash borer, since the tree is related to the ash tree.
LANDSCAPE VALUE
Fringetree is an enchanting asset to the late spring landscape when it displays its billowing masses of fragrant white blossoms. It is particularly effective when planted in front of an evergreen background. Use it:
- Wherever a very small understory tree or large shrub is needed.
- As a single specimen near a terrace or patio where its blossoms can be appreciated at close range.
- As part of a naturalistic planting featuring native species.
- In a mixed border with other shrubs or small trees.
- In the filtered shade of large canopy trees.
- In a grouping near the edge of a woodland setting.
- To attract birds to the landscape. According to the South Carolina Wildlife Federation website, fringetree fruits are eaten by more than 75 species of birds.
- In urban environments where air pollution is a problem.
- For its unusual and beautiful flowers in late spring.
- To perfume the air with its sweet, delicate scent.
- To support many pollinators, particularly bees.
- To serve as a host plant for two moth species: the Fawn Sphinx moth (Sphinx kamiae) and the Rustic Sphinx moth (Manduca rustica).
Although fringetree is slow to leaf out in the spring, the patient gardener will be rewarded with a shimmering display of exotic blossoms certain to make the neighbors green with envy.
SOURCES:
A Natural History of Trees of the Eastern and Central North America (Peattie, Donald Culross, 1948, copyright renewed 1977)
Bringing Nature Home (Tallamy, Douglas W., 2007)
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses, (Dirr, Michael A., 1975, Revised 2009)
Native Plants of the Southeast (Mellichamp, Larry, 2014)
“Chionanthus virginicus,” University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Plant Database (hort.uconn.edu)
“Chionanthus Virginicus Fact Sheet,” Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation (dendro.cnre.vt.edu)
“Fringetree,” Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center (clemson.edu/extension)
South Carolina Wildlife Federation (scwf.org/native-plant-list)
“The Fringe Tree and Its Far-Flung Cousins,” by Rob Nicholson, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu).
“White Fringe Tree,” Yale University website (naturewalk.yale.edu/trees)
“White Fringetree, Old-man’s Beard,” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 3010-1499 White Fringetree.
Lovely!
I’ve been searching far and wide to purchase a female fringe. I live in chapel hill nc.
Any suggestions where I might get one?
Thanks
Since I live in Virginia, I am not familiar with sources for female fringe trees in the Chapel Hill area. You might try asking your local garden centers to order one for you. Also, try checking out any native plant societies in your state to see if they can give you a lead on where to get one. Your local Cooperative Extension/Master Gardeners might also be able to help you find one.
Not sure if you are still searching but I found one at Taylors nursery in Raleigh
I had a mature China Snow Fringe Tree planted in December. It seems to be doing OK after the freeze in Atlanta, but I noticed it is now losing some leaves (Late May). We have had some rain over the last month, but I am wondering if it is not getting enough water?
Chase, by now, hopefully, your fringe tree has stopped dropping its leaves and is receiving adequate moisture. Newly planted trees generally need to be watered well throughout their first three years, including during the winter months, while their roots are becoming established in the soil. Dropping leaves, particularly older leaves, is the way many trees cope with lack of moisture. While leaf drop may look alarming, most trees will recover and even push out new leaves once they receive adequate moisture over a sustained period of time.
Our Fringe tree is about 8 years old. I prune it in winter and it has always done great. Beautiful blooms and full leaves. This year less than half of its normal leaves came out. Lots of the limbs only have a few leaves. Small ends and limbs look dead. Any cure or thoughts about what may be happening, or what I should do
I’m sorry to hear about your Fringe tree. A couple of thoughts come to mind. Does the tree receive adequate moisture? Is the soil around the roots compacted? Is there a root rot or other fungal problem affecting the roots? Does the tree have a girdle root which might be interfering with the uptake of moisture and nutrients? Sometimes, if a tree wasn’t properly planted, it can take years for problems like these to manifest themselves. I don’t know where you live but I suggest you contact your local cooperative extension office’s help desk and ask for assistance in figuring out what’s wrong with your tree. You might also consider checking with an arborist. Best wishes in solving the problem.
I’ve had the fringe tree for a couple of years. sun until about 3-4 pm. Still no flowers- what can I do?
Karen, if your fringe tree was planted as a very small specimen, perhaps it just needs a little more time in ground before it starts blooming. Another possibility is that its cultural requirements aren’t being met. For example, fringe trees benefit from moist, well-drained soil, particularly while they are getting established. Perhaps your tree needs more moisture than it is receiving. Adequate moisture is very important the first couple of years while the tree becomes established. Lack of moisture can stress a tree and potentially interfere with flowering. Inadequate sunlight might be another possibility, although I don’t think that’s the problem since your tree receives sunlight until 3-4 pm.
My landscaper planted a fringe tree as an understory near a large oak tree. It’s been in the ground for 15 years and never bloomed nor has it grown a lot. It leafs out every spring but never has bloomed. Any suggestion?
Insufficient sunlight and lack of water are two possible explanations for the lack of blossoms on your fringe tree. Your large oak may be shading it depriving it of adequate sunlight. The fringe tree can take some shade, but too much shade could explain why the tree isn’t blooming. Also, it may be stressed from inadequate moisture if the nearby oak is taking up most of the water from the soil. As a third possibility, your fringe tree may need a pollinator plant. Fringe trees are dioecious, meaning you need both a male and a female plant in order to produce blossoms. Any or all of these three suggested explanations are most likely the source of the problem. But if not, then a consultation with a tree specialist may be your best option. For example, in addition to not blooming, you mention that the tree hasn’t grown a lot. So it’s possible it is root-bound or has some other problem involving the root structure that is putting stress on the tree.