Chinese Fringetree Puts on a Show in the Spring

Many of you may be familiar with our native fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus, often called Grancy graybeard, granddaddy graybeard or old man’s beard. It is a wonderful small tree that grows throughout the state but is certainly not a common site. It begins blooming in late March with airy, off-white flowers.

There is a related tree, Chinese fringetree, Chionanthus retusus, that has more refined qualities. The major differences are that it has a spreading habit (looking somewhat like a miniature live oak tree), smaller, darker green leaves, and pure white flowers. It also flowers a little later in April, after the leaves have emerged. This gives the flowers a dark green background, where they show off better. The tree grows 15 to 20 feet tall with a slightly greater spread. The flowers occur in clusters at the ends of branches, and the petals are long and strap-like. This is quite a showy tree in bloom, and its branching architecture provides interest throughout the year. Chinese fringetree is best grown in full sun for maximum flower production.

The cultivar ‘Tokyo Tower’ is a more upright form with an upright branching. Many nursery growers train this cultivar as a standard (single trunk) for a narrow columnar form that is quite stunning. For more information, see HGIC 1027, Fringetree.