Chinese Fringe Tree Chionanthus retusus

What kind of plant is as tough as nails, has gorgeous foliage, snow-white flowers, and exfoliating bark? It’s the Chinese fringetree. Native to Korea, China, and Japan. This easy-to-grow deciduous tree displays a showy, white, clustered bloom that appears like fringe each spring.

Sometimes grown as a multi-stemmed large shrub, Chinese fringetree can develop into a modest-sized tree, ranging in height from 18 to 35 feet. Transplant this Asian native into a location with full sun or partial shade. The lustrous, leathery foliage looks best when grown in some light shade (dappled sunlight), while the flowering is heaviest when planted in full sun. This tree tends to flower better in alternate years.  The only real downside is that is it frequently damaged by deer.

The Chinese fringetree is an excellent choice anywhere a small tree is needed. It is well suited for most Carolina landscapes, due to its adaptability to our varied soil types. Use as a specimen tree or in a mixed shrub border. Like many white-flowered plants, the fringetree looks especially pretty transplanted in front of a dark evergreen backdrop.

Insect Disease and other Pest Problems: Frequently damaged by deer.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.