Chionanthus American

Fringetree, Old-Mans-Beard

Chionanthus virginicus (American Fringetree)
A beautiful native deciduous tree/shrub celebrated for its showy, fragrant white fringe-like flowers that appear in late spring. Blooms are followed on female plants by blue-black berry-like fruit, and foliage turns clear yellow in fall, giving this plant strong multi-season appeal. It’s adaptable, tough, and an excellent choice for naturalistic and native landscapes.

Size:



Width: 12–20 ft



Height: 12–20 ft
(often multi-stemmed; can be trained as a small tree)



Zones: 3–9

Light: Full sun to partial shade
(Best flowering in full sun to light shade.)

Soil: Moist, well-drained soils; adaptable to clay and loam; prefers slightly acidic conditions

Features:



Flowers: Fragrant, white, fringe-like blooms in late spring



Foliage: Glossy green leaves turning yellow in fall



Fruit: Blue-black drupes on female plants (if a male is nearby)



Form: Rounded to spreading, often multi-stemmed small tree or large shrub



Attracts:
Pollinators; birds (on fruiting female plants)

Uses:
Specimen planting, woodland edges, native gardens, understory tree, pollinator gardens

Notes:



Dioecious: Male and female plants are separate; fruit requires both sexes.



Very low maintenance once established and tolerant of urban conditions.



Native to eastern North America and resistant to most pests and diseases.

Plant type

Deciduous Tree

Height

12-18'

Width

12-20'

Hardiness zones

3–9

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Slow

Bloom time

Late Spring, Spring

Flower color

White

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Yellow

Attracts

Birds

Soil

Acidic, Clay, Loamy, Moist well-drained, Sandy well-drained

Landscape use

Mass Planting, Specimen

Shape

Clump, Oval/Rounded

Fruit

Yes

Drought tolerant

No