White fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus L.
Also called white fringetree, old man's beard.
Small native tree covered in fringe-like, lightly fragrant white flowers in late spring. Female plants follow with dark blue fruit for birds.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 4–6 m (13–20 ft) tall and 4–6 m (13–20 ft) wide; slow growth, about 35 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.12) from the #15 install size.
Bloom
White flowers, May (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White fringetree : May |
Design notes
- Leafs out late — do not mistake it for dead in spring.
- Can be attacked by emerald ash borer; monitor where the borer is present.
Regions
Native range: Eastern U.S. from New Jersey to Florida and Texas.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with White fringetree
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.