Chionanthus virginicus
White fringetree · also Fringetree, Old-man's-beard, Poison-ash
Report an issue with this species
Chionanthus virginicus is a large shrub to small tree with multiple, low-branching trunks and a round, bushy canopy. It produces prolific, showy white blooms in late spring, followed by dark blue drupes that attract songbirds and small mammals. This low-maintenance tree is hardy to urban conditions but cannot tolerate drought, offering year-round visual interest.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 900.05%2.5 yr2.0 in
- 470.04%3.4 yr4.9 in
- 210.01%—2.3 in
- 110.00%—3.0 in
- 50.00%—6.0 in
- 50.03%—2.4 in
- 30.00%—2.0 in
- 20.00%—0.4 in
- 20.00%——
- 20.00%—1.6 in
- 10.00%—4.0 in
- 10.00%—0.9 in
- 10.00%——
- 10.01%—1.0 in
Traits
- Form
- Multi-trunk
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Mature height
- 12–30 ft
- Canopy spread
- 12–20 ft
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Drought tolerance
- Low
- Wildlife value
- High
- Blooms
- May, Jun
Trunk diameters across every city: median 2.0 in, mean 3.4 in, 90th percentile 4.9 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests
- East Central Texas forests
- Mississippi lowland forests
- New England-Acadian forests
Temperate Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands
- Central US forest-grasslands transition
Other Chionanthus in the catalogue
3 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
