Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Have a Fringe tree? How do you like it?, 1 by Decumbent

Decumbent wrote:
Here's a picture of mine from about four years ago. Often reported as slow growing, mine is about four or five times that big now. Well over my height (6'1") and at least as big around.

In my mind, American fringe tree is a one-trick pony. An absolutely great one trick, and one I would not be without, but I would hesitate to use it as a "specimen" tree. Foliage is a little coarse, form is highly variable but seldom outstanding, and fall color just a ho-hum yellow. Additionally, my experience is that it doesn't age that well either. As it gets larger, it gets a little annoying, except for that one week in May when it is a fragrant and joyous explosion of fleecy bloom.

The Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), on the other hand, makes an outstanding specimen tree. While the flowers are not quite as showy as the American, they are still darned good. Foliage a little finer. Form a little better. And the bark exfoliates in the manner of Acer triflorum. Not a bad multi-season small specimen tree.

If you have the room (for either), try to buy at least three trees. Both species are dioecious, which means there are male and female trees. Unfortunately, nearly all fringe trees are seed-grown and come to the nursery unsexed, so you likely won't know if you are buying male or female trees. Hence the reason to buy three. In doing so, unless you are really unlucky, odds are in your favor of getting at least one male and one female. If you do, then the grape-sized blue fruit on the female trees is an additional ornamental feature.

Scott

This message was edited Mar 28, 2006 5:01 PM