Fringe Tree...fruits

I didn't see any examples in Plant Files so I submitted it. I didn't know what the fruits were like until I had my own tree; you rarely see them in photos.

I was tempted to taste them but I didn't.

Nice! They look quite like olives. Perhaps not too surprising, as they're related.

Resin

This fringe tree is not Chinese fringe tree, is it? Chionanthus?

The tree in the picture is a Grancy Gray-Bird or Chionanthus virginicus or also the American Fringetree. The Chinese Fringetree is Chionanthus retusus.

The fruits in the picture are seeds I would not try to bite into them because you have nothing but seed in there.

I am sometimes recklessly inclined for curiosity's sake to try a taste of whatever fruit a tree produces, unless it is known to be toxic...for example Prunus serotina (they do taste like sweet cherries) and Cornus kousa (pictured...kinda pithy); if my Fringe tree is olive-related (that's news to me!) and not known to be toxic I might give it a go...

You lucky thing! I transplanted a small fringe tree seedling from my dad's. We were so thrilled when it bloomed at only 2' tall, that we bought two more from Park Seed in June- - one of which had fruit so we know we have the one female. The sex of the other 2 is unknown so we'll have to wait and see and hope we have at least 1 boy. I read that the male tree actually has showier blooms (but I don't know how you'd tell the difference unless they were side by side) but of course only the female has the fruit. And isn't it pretty?

Cornus kousa is edible, you're OK there.

Bear in mind that olives are not edible as harvested, they need quite a bit of post-harvest processing before they're edible. Maybe read up on that, and try the same with the fringetree fruit.

Resin

The fringe tree fruit was gone when I went back to get some; guess the birds beat me to it? Thanks Resin for the info.

Two of my (now 4) fringe trees had fruit. The one in the foreground is the fruitless one so I am assuming it's a male. It was about as showy as the known female. Those lower branches are tempting me to try rooting some new ones. I do admire this species; when it blooms it really gets noticed. We have a lot of people taking walks up and down the street and I enjoy seeing them stop and look, especially since I don't hire a landscaper or even a "yard man" and have chosen to gradually fill in lawn areas with great trees and shrubs.

Found this - seems it is like olives, the fruit need to be pickled to be edible. Sounds like a large stone and not very much fruit flesh, though.
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Chionanthus+virginicus

Resin

Your little tree is amazing! So full of blooms. I don't think I've ever seen one quite this full so small.

Resin,
Great site! I bookmarked it so I can read about others.

Hemophobic,
I planted them in 2002; I believe I ordered them from Musser Forests. Unfortunately, I don't any in their current online catalog. They have very good prices but their trees are small. If you want to landscape on a budget and don't plan to move, they are a good source for trees and shrubs.

Here's a pic of the tree you saw in the distance in the last shot (the one which had the fruits); a smoke tree ("royal purple") which I also planted in 2002 stands behind it...they are really pretty when both are in bloom.

From the smoke tree's perspective:

Oops this is the pic I meant to post (Post #5465953) when I tried to edit it I could not change the pic: