
How tall does a fringe tree grow?
Fringe trees typically form irregular, spreading crowns supported by a short multi- or single-stemmed trunk. Plants can grow 25 to 30 feet tall in the wild with a similar spread. Cultivated plants grow 12 to 20 feet tall with an equal or greater spread. The thick, opposite, simple leaves grow 3 to 8 inches long and half as wide.
What is a Chinese fringetree tree?
Chinese fringetree also has attractive gray bark that may be furrowed or peeling. Fringetree is a large shrub or small tree in the landscape, but it may reach a height of 25 to 30 feet in the wild. When flowering, white fringetree is one of the most beautiful native trees.
How do you grow a white fringe tree?
The milder the winter, the taller your tree will grow. The best place for a white fringe tree is an area that has plenty of sunlight. Full sun is best. However, the tree also does well in partially sunny areas. The tree will thrive well if you plant it underneath a larger tree, which provides it with filtered shade.
How many types of fringe trees are there?
Members of the olive family, Oleaceae, fringe trees are part of a botanical grouping, or genus, called Chionanthus. Two species grow in gardens commonly: the Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), and the American fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus).

How fast does a white fringe tree grow?
A North American native commonly found in upland woods and stream banks throughout most of the South, White Fringetree prefers moist, acid soil and will gladly grow in even wet soils. It grows very slowly, usually 6 to 10 inches per year, but can grow a foot per year if given rich, moist soil and plenty of fertilizer.
Is white fringe tree invasive?
It hasn't yet proven itself to be invasive, but as with all imported species, there is always a chance that problems may arise. There are male and female trees, and you'll need one of each if you want to have a crop of berries that are coveted by wildlife.
How big does a fringe tree grow?
Native white fringetrees remain small, maturing at 12 to 20 feet in height and 12 to 20 feet in width. Trees in the wild may be taller. Fringetrees naturally grow with multiple stems, but can be trained to single trunks. The typical form is spreading with an open crown, but plant habit can vary.
Is white fringe tree an evergreen?
Fringetree is a small deciduous tree in the Oleaceae (olive) family.
Is white fringe tree poisonous to dogs?
Loropetalum (common name Chinese fringe flower) is not listed by the FDA or the ASPCA as a poisonous plant. This plant is in the Hamamelidaceae or witch hazel family of plants. Witch hazel leaves, flowers, and stems may cause constipation, vomiting, or nausea if eaten.
Should you prune a fringe tree?
Chinese Fringe tree needs minimal maintenance. Prune in winter to shape and to remove dead wood. Cut off lower branches to preserve a standard form (one trunk instead of multi-trunked).
How do you prune a white fringe tree?
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.
What is fringe tree good for?
Fringetree is a small tree or shrub. The dried root and bark are used to make medicine. People take fringetree for liver and gallbladder disorders, including gallstones. They also take it to stimulate bile flow, relieve fluid retention, and as a tonic.
Do fringe trees lose their leaves?
The white fringe tree is deciduous and loses its leaves in the winter. In warmer seasons, its leaves are elliptical shape. They range from 3 to 8 inches long, and 1.5 to 3 inches wide.
When should you plant a fringe tree?
Reaching about 20 to 25 feet tall and wide, this fragrant tree attracts birds. It grows wild in the southeastern United States, and it can do well when planted in spring or early summer and its roots have time to develop before winter weather occurs.
Do fringe trees attract bees?
Shrubs and Trees Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) produces white flowers in April and May and attracts butterflies and bees. It also is a host.
Are fringe trees fragrant?
The fringe tree's most outstanding feature is the fragrant, strap-like, white flowers that are borne in 6 to 8 inch long fleecy panicles in late May to early June.
Will deer eat a white fringe tree?
Birds and other wildlife seek the fruit of the fringetree. White-tailed deer and rodents eat the fruit that has fallen to the ground. It has been reported that 75 species of birds favour the fruit including the Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Blue Jay, Wild Turkey, Pileated Woodpecker and Brown Thrasher.
What is fringe tree good for?
Fringetree is a small tree or shrub. The dried root and bark are used to make medicine. People take fringetree for liver and gallbladder disorders, including gallstones. They also take it to stimulate bile flow, relieve fluid retention, and as a tonic.
Is white fringe tree native?
The white fringe tree is found throughout the eastern United States from Texas to Florida and south of New York. This tree is native to Missouri. The bark of the tree's trunk. The tree's bark is smooth and gray.
Is there a dwarf fringe tree?
Chionanthus pygmaeus, dwarf fringetree, is an intriguing species native to Florida. It is similar to C. virginicus, though smaller in stature, reaching only about 4' tall, and is therefore a good choice for small gardens.
How long are the flowers on a fringe tree?
Flowers April–May, in delicate drooping bundles along the twig at the leaf axils, 4–6 inches long; stalks hairy; petal lobes usually 4 (to 6), narrow, the tip pointed, about 1 inch long, white with purple spots near the base, fragrant; stamens 2. Fringe tree is usually dioecious (with male flowers and female flowers on separate plants), but sometimes there are perfect flowers (having functional male and female parts on the same flower) mixed with the male or female ones. The male flowers are showier than the female ones.
What are some insects that live on a fringe tree?
Many types of insects make their living from fringe tree, including a variety of scale insects that suck the sap. Moths are another group of insects that feed on fringe tree; among these are the fall webworm and the waved, rustic, and laurel sphinx moths. One moth that uses fringe tree as a larval host plant is an owlet moth called ...
What are the similarities between smoke trees and fringe trees?
Both are shrubs with simple, alternate leaves crowded toward the branch tips, and both have flower clusters that look something like feather dusters. In smoke tree, the feathery clusters are finer and are actually not flowers — they are the hairy, colorful stalks of the flowers after the blossoms have fallen away. They are in different families. Also, the Eurasian smoke tree ( C. coggygria) is a common landscaping shrub that is smaller and has smaller leaves than our native smoke tree; one popular variety has purple leaves.
How tall are trees and shrubs?
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.
How big are the leaves of a sage?
Leaves are simple, opposite, and may appear whorled or clustered near the tip; they are large, 4–8 inches long, 1–4 inches wide , oval to egg-shaped or lance-shaped, with the tip blunt to pointed, the base wedge-shaped, the margin entire or wavy; they are dark green and smooth above, and paler below with hairs on the veins. The leaf stalk is ½–1 inch long, hairy.
Can fringe trees be attacked by EAB?
In 2014, researchers found proof that the EAB can use fringe tree as a host. Apparently, it is not the insect’s first choice, and the EAB seems to attack fringe trees only after most of the ash trees in an area are being attacked and killed, when EAB populations are at their maximum. Initial findings indicate that, except in areas where fringe trees occur in high densities, healthy and unstressed fringe trees can survive the attack.
What is a white fringe tree?
White Fringetree. White Fringetree - Chionanthus virginicus. Olive Family (Oleaceae) Introduction: White fringetree is a small tree with a spreading habit, and is often wider than it is tall. It is an excellent specimen tree as it offers lovely white flowers in May and June.
How tall is a Chinese fringe tree?
Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) usually reaches a height of 15 to 25 feet. It has leathery leaves that tend to be smaller than those of white fringetree. It has white flowers in May and June and dark blue fruit (female trees) in September and October.
How big is a sage tree?
It can be pruned to a single trunk early in its life. Tree size: 12 to 20 feet tall with a similar spread. Flower and fruit: White flowers are slightly fragrant and are borne in 6- to 8–inch-long panicles in May and June. Petals of male flowers are a little longer than those of female flowers.
When do fringetrees ripen?
Female plants produce dark blue fruits that ripen in August and September.
Is white fringetree hardy?
It prefers full sun. It is tolerant of air pollution but will not tolerate drought. It is hardy in Zones 4 to 9. Fringetree may be bothered by scale, mites, powdery mildew, leaf spots and canker.
How tall do fringe trees grow?
Fringe trees typically form irregular, spreading crowns supported by a short multi- or single-stemmed trunk. Plants can grow 25 to 30 feet tall in the wild with a similar spread. Cultivated plants grow 12 to 20 feet tall with an equal or greater spread.
What is fringe tree?
Fringe tree is a member of the Oleaceae or Olive family. Oleaceae is important for fruit and oil production. Oil comes from olive, perfume from jasmine and wood products are from ash. Related ornamentals include forsythia, privet and lilac.
What is the scientific name for a fringe tree?
fringe tree, Chionanthus virginicus. Scientific Name. Chionanthus is from the Greek words chion and anthos, which mean “snow flower” in reference to the white flowers; virginicus means “of Virginia.”. Common Name. Fringe tree is from the white, fringe-like flowers that bloom in early spring. Other names include old man’s beard, Grancy graybeard, ...
What is the bark of a fringe tree used for?
Native Americans used tea made from boiled bark as a topical treatment for skin irritations, cuts and infections. Dried or fresh root and trunk bark can act as a diuretic. The bark can also be used as a poultice for bruises, cuts and ulcers. Fringe tree is a member of the Oleaceae or Olive family.
What animals eat fringe tree fruits?
Fringe tree fruits are among the favorite foods of wild turkeys, blue jays, cardinals and mockingbirds. White-tailed deer and other animals browse the foliage.
What are the flowers of a fringe tree?
Flowers are pure white, wispy and cloudlike. The flowers are pollinated by insects. Fringe trees are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. The male plants are more impressive in bloom because of longer petals, but the female plants bear the blue, plum-like fruits that are attractive to wildlife.
What color is the bark of a sage tree?
The bark is pale gray or brown. The bark is smooth on young branches. Mature trunks and branches are ridged and furrowed, developing an attractive craggy like with age.
How tall does a fringetree grow?
Only female plants bear ½ inch long, bluish fruit, which ripens in September. In landscape situations Fringetree is typically a shrub growing 12 to 20 feet high, but as a tree it can reach 30 feet high and wide.
What is fringe tree?
More Information. Care Knowledge. Fringe tree grows as either a wide-spreading, multi-stemmed shrub or a small tree useful in native woodland gardens, as a specimen plant in groups, borders, or near large buildings.
What color are the flowers on a sage plant?
They are lustrous medium green with a paler underside that turn yellow in the fall. Flower arrangement, shape, and size: Flowers are fleecy, 6 to 8 inch clusters (panicles) of strap-like, four-petaled white flowers resembling an old man’s beard, and dioecious (separate male and female plants).
Is black walnut tolerant of wind?
It prefers moist, fertile soils and seldom needs pruning. List of pests, diseases, and tolerances: There are no common serious problems for this plant , and it is resistant to black walnut toxicity.
What is a white fringe tree?
The Best Conditions for a White Fringe Tree. The white fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), also called old man's beard, is a mid-sized landscape tree. The slow-growing tree blooms small white flowers in spring and yields bright golden leaves in the fall. If you give it the right conditions, a white fringe tree will grow up to 20 feet wide ...
What zone do white fringe trees grow in?
The white fringe tree thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardi ness zones 4 through 9. In cooler regions, the tree tends to grow more as a shrub than a tree. The milder the winter, the taller your tree will grow.
How to raise pH of soil for white fringe trees?
To determine whether or not your soil has the right acid levels, perform a soil pH test. If test results indicate the soil is too acid for a white fringe tree, an easy way to increase the pH is by adding a treatment of lime or dolomite. How much of these materials to add to your soil vary, depending upon your soil type. For example, to raise the pH of sandy loam soils from 4.8 to 6.5, add 8 pounds of limestone per 100 square feet of soil. Check the package instructions for application rates.
How did the fringe tree get its name?
Fringe tree gets its name from its clouds of fleecy white, softly fragrant flowers that hang from the branches in late spring and early summer. Other common names here in the South are grancy graybeard and old man's beard. Trees can be either male or female.
How big do apricots get?
Size: 12 to 20 feet tall and wide Shape: Rounded and usually multi-trunked Light: Full to partial sun Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained Water needs: Moderate, tolerates some drought Fall foliage: Bright yellow Pests: NONE Hardiness zones: USDA Zones 3-9 Prune: Seldom needed; prune after flowering Bonus fact: Tolerates air pollution; good for city gardens Bonus bonus fact: One of the last trees to leaf out in spring
Where does the sage tree grow?
Indigenous to the eastern U.S., it grows from Canada all the way down to the Gulf Coast. It's tougher than dogwood, more dependable than saucer magnolia, longer-lived than cherry, and smells better than stinky Bradford. And it's beautiful.
Can a male tree be a female?
Trees can be either male or female. Males sport larger, showier blooms, but females form attractive, blackish-blue fruits that birds like. Nurseries don't sell trees by sex, so you have to take your chances. But either sex is well worth planting.
How tall does a fringe tree grow?
Fringetree is a deciduous tree that grows up to 30 feet tall, but smaller through most of its range. The leaves are opposite with a smooth margin. The bark is scaly with dark brown ridges and red furrows. In late spring, fragrant, white flower clusters 2 to 3 inches long mature hanging from 4 to 8-inch stalks.
What is fringe tree?
The fringetree has wide, spear-shaped leaves (to 8" long) that turn yellow in autumn. The 3-8 in. opposite, simple leaves, glabrous above and pubescent underside, are not especially showy.
When do dioecious trees bloom?
long. The male flowers are showier than female flowers due to longer petals, however, both male and female trees are striking in bloom. Flowers bloom from April to May.
Is a fringe tree a good specimen?
Fringetree is a nice specimen plant in lawns and also works well as a flowering tree in a native garden. Plant it in small groups along a woodland border or take advantage of the sweet fragranced blooms in a children's, or sensory garden
How tall does a Chinese fringe tree get?
Chinese fringe tree grows 15 to 25 feet tall and broad. Its oval leaves are medium green and glossy, turning yellow or persisting late into autumn before dropping. In spring, new stems and leaves emerge from the branches and by late spring bear white, lightly fragrant blossoms that are star-like but with thin petals.
What is a fringe tree?
Members of the olive family, Oleaceae, fringe trees are part of a botanical grouping, or genus, called Chionanthus. Two species grow in gardens commonly: the Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), and the American fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus). Other common names for the American fringe tree include the white fringe tree, common fringe tree, old man's beard and granddaddy graybeard.
How much sun do fringe trees need?
Grow both species of fringe tree in either full sun locations to light shade, receiving between 4 to 10 hours of sunlight daily. Both are tolerant of a wide array of soils, adaptable to acidic and alkaline soils (pH range of 4.5 to 8.0) and to sand, loam or clay.
What do the flowers on a sage tree look like?
The flower clusters cover the entire tree, looking like tufts of fleece. Female flowers, when pollinated by bees, form small, pea-sized berries that are blue-black. The tree's bark is corky and attractive with furrows of dark brown and light gray.
What color are the leaves on a sage tree?
It also has oval leaves, but range in color from medium to dark green and have varying degrees of glossiness. In spring, thin-petaled white flowers appear on the bare twigs just before or as the first leaves emerge. After pollination, female flowers become small, blue-black berries. The tree's bark is smooth.
Where are fringe trees native to?
The Chinese fringe tree is native to China, Korea and Japan in mixed forests and thickets relatively close to lakes and streams. The American fringe tree is native to the eastern United States, from New Jersey southward to both Texas and Florida.
Do female trees produce fruit?
Both species are dioecious, meaning a tree is either male or female in gender, as determined by the sex of the flowers. Only female trees produce fruits, but the flower petals on male trees generally are larger and more showy.
