Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe tree)

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Height, Spread: 12-30 ft, 12-20 ft

Water/Soil: Moist-occasionally wet or dry, well-drained, neutral pH

Light: Full sun- part shade

Bloom: Spring, cream colored blooms

Native Range: Eastern USA

Qualities: Attractive to pollinators, Wildlife resource, NC Native

Notes: Perennial shrub or small tree commonly found in forests, open woodlands, riparian areas, and bottomlands in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain in NC. Attractive to pollinators in the spring when it is awash with cream colored petals and provides songbirds and mammals with its olive-like fruits in the late summer. It tolerates air pollution, making it a good urban landscaping tree. It is dioecious, meaning you need both a female and male tree to get fruits. Best used as an accent piece in your yard or in a native garden.