Fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus
In late May the whole tree becomes a fragrant cloud of white fringe, visible from the street. Late-summer berries feed bluebirds and thrushes.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Two weeks of white fringed clouds in May that stop people in the street. fringetree is the spring bloom event that makes all the waiting worthwhile.
Fringetree earns its name in late May when the entire tree dissolves into a cloud of thin white petals hanging in airy clusters, like white fringe swaying in a breeze, visible from the street. The fragrance is clean, slightly sweet, and carries on warm afternoons. There is almost nothing in the native spring tree palette that compares to fringetree at full bloom, and the display holds for two weeks. Blue-black olive-like berries ripen in late summer on female plants, taken by bluebirds, thrushes, and other frugivores. Glossy leaves yellow in fall. This tree grows slowly, which means it takes time to get to its bloom size, but once there, it's the focal point of the yard for those two weeks in May, and a generous wildlife resource for the rest of the season.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown fringetree propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 10–20 ft · 10–20 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Late May
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Native range
- Eastern United States
Care notes for fringetree.
Full sun to part shade, moist well-drained acidic soil. Tolerates moderate drought once established. Water during dry spells. No regular pruning needed. natural form is the appeal. Plant male and female for berry production on females. Slow to establish; patience is required and rewarded.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside fringetree.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.