Chionanthus virginicus

Commonly known as Fringe Tree, this is an excellent small native tree.  It tends to grow naturally in rich, moist woods and hillsides from Texas to New York, all along the eastern United States.  The multi-stem growth habit reaches 12’-20’ tall and wide.  It can be trained into a single stem tree if undesirable shoots are cut when the plant is young.

Clusters of white, delicate looking flowers cover the plant from May to June.  These turn into a striking display of blue-black drupes.  Where some trees might make a mess when dropping fruit, birds eagerly prevent such a calamity with their ravenous appetite, picking the trees clean before the berry-like fruit falls.

Chionanthus is not done with its show just yet!  It ends the season with a BANG when the large leaves erupt into a yellow explosion of color!