Life Form:

Deciduous tree

Average Height:

10-20'

Bark Characteristics:

Exfoliating, gray-brown

Bloom Characteristics:

Clusters of white flowers with fringe-like petals grow in clusters up to 4" long at the ends of branches. Mildly fragrant.

Dioecious:

Yes.

Fall Color:

Yellow

Foliage Characteristics:

Simple, opposite or nearly opposite, leathery, ovate leaves have entire margins. 2-4" long. Young leaves have serrate margins. Leaves are green above and whitish-green and downy beneath.

Fruit Characteristics:

Olive-like, ripen to dark blue-black in the late summer and early fall. .5" long.

Structure:

Rounded, spreading.

Range:

C and S China, Taiwan, S Korea, Japan (C Honshu, Tsushima)

Habitat:

Full sun to part shade, average to meduim moisture

Description:

The Chinese fringetree is known for being a lovely ornamental tree, with fragrant white flowers and dark blue fruit providing visual interest in two seasons.

Hardiness:

-20 - 30 F

Attracts:

Attracts birds with fruit.

Bloom Time:

Late spring to early summer.

Provenance:

From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

Topic:

Trees  Search this

Living Collections  Search this

Common Name:

Chinese Fringe Tree

Group:

[vascular plants]

Class:

Equisetopsida

Subclass:

Magnoliidae

Superorder:

Asteranae

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Oleaceae

Genus:

Chionanthus

Species:

retusus

Accession Number:

2012-1467A

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection

On Display:

National Museum of Natural History

Data Source:

Smithsonian Gardens

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax7e1b09c83-122a-4279-8a95-5cf9dee1cae8

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:ofeo-sg_2012-1467A