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| Chinese fringe tree (Photo by Allen Owings) |
The American fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) produces clusters of flowers with long, narrow, greenish-white petals that are produced in masses all along the branches. The narrow petals and hanging habit give the flowers a fringe or beardlike appearance.
In the wild, you usually see them growing on the edge of the woods; they thrive in full sun to partial shade in well-drained locations.
The Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus) also grows well in Louisiana and is even showier than our native species. Bloom masses on the Chinese species are impressive.
Chinese fringe trees need pruning when young to encourage good trunk development.
Allen Owings
Rick Bogren