Today's featured plant is: Chionanthus virginicus, often called Fringe Tree or Old Man’s Beard.
The Fringe Tree is an attractive tree that will provide delight during spring, summer, and autumn. The primary attraction of this 15 – 30 feet deciduous tree (or shrub if you prefer to keep multiple stalks and regularly trim) is the drooping clusters of fragrant, white blossoms that dramatically emerge during April and May.
Their entrance onto the spring growing scene is a little dramatic, and can cause a first-time grower a bit of alarm. One of the last trees to bear new leaves in the spring, the fringe tree looks dormant (read: dead) until the leaves and flowers appear. Once they do, it is quite the sight! The numerous delicate, fragrant white – to greenish white flowers are composed of 4 – 6 strap shaped petals 1” long by 1/16” wide. They hang in showy, branched clusters 4 – 6” long. Flowers open before or with the first leaves.
In summer, dark blue, grape-like clusters of fruits are produced from female blossoms. (Male blossoms do not produce fruit.) These berries are a main attraction for birds - so much so that the North Carolina Audubon Society named the fringe tree one of their 2016 Bird-Friendly Native Plants of the Year.
In autumn, the dark green glossy leaves turn an almost pure yellow, which not only complements the pale gray and white banded trunk, but also really makes this tree stand out on the block.
Does this sound like a tree worth planting? Here are some things to consider:
This tree does best in the Southeastern United States - its native zone - but it can thrive farther north into New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other areas with comparable weather and growing seasons.
It isn’t incredibly hardy, so the further north you go, the more you’re going to have to protect it during winter.
When planting, choose a spot with part to full sun and moist to dry soil.
While it is sensitive to extreme cold, it is relatively tolerant of drought conditions.