Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
White Fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus
Also called old man's beard, grancy graybeard.
Clouds of fragrant white fringe in May, then blue fruit for the birds, on a small tree for any yard.
Showy flowersWildlife valueTolerates wet soil
- Type
- Small tree
- Mature height
- 12–20 ft
- USDA zones
- 4–9
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Sun
- Full · Part
- Soil moisture
- Average · Wet
210
Fringetree is one of the most beautiful and least used native small trees, hardy to zone 4 despite a southern reputation. It blooms late enough to dodge frost, tolerates wet soil and city conditions, and asks nothing beyond sun. Female trees carry dark blue fruit in late summer; plant a few for a chance at both sexes.
Heights and zones are typical ranges for the species in cultivation; local conditions and seed source shift them. Estimate growth for this species →
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