November is a great time to plant trees in Georgia. Our
plentiful winter rains and cool temperatures help woody plants like trees and
shrubs get off to a good start. In the last couple of weeks I have profiled two
trees that have characteristics that I think people appreciate. The first one
was about a fast growing tree that is also beautiful: scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea). The second one was about a tree that is a winner
for birds and is attractive for you: serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). This post is about a tree that is sure to be an
outstanding specimen tree for you:
fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus).
 |
| Chionanthus virginicus |
Our native fringetree has been admired and used by gardeners
for many years. It is known to some as “grancy greybeard” because of the white
flowers that look like an old man’s beard. A tree in full bloom is a spectacular
sight and sure to attract a lot of attention in the landscape. An open, sunny
spot is the perfect place for a specimen tree such as this.
Fringetree is a member of the Oleaceae family which includes
Osmanthus (tea olive) and non-natives like Ligustrum (privet), lilac,
forsythia, olives and many others. The dark blue drupes (fruit) of Chionanthus are only developed on female
plants. Both male and female plants do flower and many people say that the male
plants are showier in flower than the females.
The loose clusters of white flowers open in April in north Georgia. The showy tree pictured above is located in a county park where the native plant society has it's annual sale in mid to late April. People are always impressed with it and ask if we have seedlings for sale. We have learned to stock up to meet the demand!
 |
| Close up of the Chionanthus flowers |
The mature size of fringetree is approximately 20 feet so it
makes a perfect addition to a smaller garden. The lightly fragrant and showy
flowers are meant to be enjoyed, so be sure to plant it where you can enjoy it
such as near a window or walkway.
You can find excellent additional pictures at this website.
You can find excellent additional pictures at this website.
What a beautiful tree! I love the white blooms. I wonder if it attracts butterflies? Thinking this would be a good native replacement for the invasive butterfly bush.
ReplyDeleteI planted a Chionanthus virginicus in my Connecticut garden several years ago. It's still young and does get sporadic flowers on it but I'd be in heaven if it ever looks like the one in your photo.
ReplyDeleteHi Ellen,
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are looking for a tree to replace a damaged red maple that was located very close to our home. We need a tree with shallow roots that won't be invasive to a septic tank. We like the idea of a fringe tree since it is native to Georgia and beautiful. Can you suggest where we might purchase a larger native fringe tree?
Nearly Native in Fayetteville says they carry one in a 7G size; call them first to check availability. A native azalea might be a good choice too; several of the species get 15-20 feet tall at maturity so they make a nice small tree.
Delete