What is an Fringe Tree: How to Care for Fringe Trees
The delightful, fragrant fringe tree flowers bloom in early spring, right before the dogwood blossoms fade. Outstanding landscape trees, fringe trees have a lot going for them. Are you curious to learn more? This article contains all the information you require about fringe trees.
An Fringe Tree: What Is It?
Chionanthus virginicus is a native of the Southeast and can be grown anywhere in the United States, with the exception of Florida’s southernmost point. The tree’s large clusters of snow-white flowers are described by their botanical name, which means “snow flower.” A Chinese fringe tree known as C. retusus exists as well; it resembles the native species quite a bit but has smaller flower clusters. Although it hasn’t shown itself to be invasive yet, issues could always occur with any imported species. In order to produce berries that are sought after by wildlife, you must have both male and female trees. Select a male tree for its larger, more visually striking flowers if you can only have one. The tree is deciduous, with yellow-colored leaves in the fall. Fringe trees don’t transplant well, so even though you might find them growing naturally in moist woods, on streambanks, and on hillsides, you probably won’t be able to bring one home to plant in your garden.
Details of the Fringe Tree
With their modest height of 10 to 20 feet (3-6 meters), fringe trees complement practically any landscape. Utilize them as specimens, in shrub borders, or in groupings. When in full bloom, these enormous white flowers are breathtaking to see. Blue or purple berries hang from them, attracting birds and other wildlife to the garden. You’ll enjoy a tidy, oval-shaped canopy of dark green leaves in the summer. Fringe tree maintenance is easy because the fruit and flowers don’t leave a mess for you to clean up. Planting a fringe tree beneath power lines is not a concern. They won’t obstruct the lines because of their diminutive size. The trees can withstand the air pollution and other urban conditions, but they cannot withstand dry, compacted soil or street salts. Planting the tree in a sheltered spot will help ensure that the delicate flowers last longer than the strong branches, which can withstand any kind of wind or weather.
Maintaining Fringe Trees
Plant fringe trees in full sun or partial shade with moist, well-drained soil for optimal results. More sun equals more flowers, as it does for most flowering trees. Create a planting hole that is two to three times wider and as deep as the root ball. Backfill the hole with the dirt you extracted, without any improvements or additions, after the tree has been planted. When the hole is half full of dirt, thoroughly water it again, and tamp down to eliminate any air pockets. Long-term drought will not be tolerated by the tree. Before the soil surrounding the roots dries out entirely at the root depth, apply water. If the soil fertility isn’t naturally moderate to high, fertilize the soil once a year using a complete and balanced fertilizer that follows the directions on the label, or with about an inch (2.5 cm) of compost. A fringe tree rarely needs to have its sturdy branches pruned. The canopy naturally takes on an oval, tight shape.
