Fringe tree covered in a feathery, fragrant cloud.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
For years, I have gardened on the fringe—well, to be more accurate, I have gardened with the fringe.
Let me explain. Many moons ago, on a whim, I bought a small fringe tree and, I’ll readily admit, proceeded to hastily, haphazardly plant it in the first spot I found in my landscape. But despite this rude introduction to my garden, it has proved to not only be pretty tough, but in the spring, well, pretty dang pretty, too.
Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a Southeastern native woody, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by its toughness. More than just a survivor in the wild, it is also a survivor of the slop—fringe trees find river bottoms, lowlands and savannas much to their liking.
These indigenous, deciduous pretties have rounded shapes formed by semi-open branches that can eventually stretch 12 to 20 feet tall and about as wide. They are also dioecious—guy and gal trees—with pollinated females producing small, olive-shaped, bluish drupes that are eagerly devoured by birds in the early fall.
Fringe tree is also called “old man’s beard,” and the reason for both names becomes pleasingly apparent in the spring. Just as new, vibrant green leaves begin to appear, large fluffs of white, confetti-like blooms form, enveloping the tree in a feathery, fragrant cloud. This show for the nose and eyes usually starts around mid-April and lasts about two weeks.
Another option is Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus). This slightly larger Asian import tends to display smaller bloom clusters—Wait! Smaller bloom clusters? Sorry, that swings my preference needle to the shaggier “Made in America” fringe tree. But in your garden, it’s your decision.
In the woods, our native fringe tree is typically found in moist environments. But in cultivated landscapes, it will do well in just about any location if mulched and watered regularly. And while this ornamental can be planted in partially shaded spots, its flower power will have more oomph in constant sun.
When its blooms fade away, fringe tree becomes a green glob in the landscape. Come autumn, however, its foliage salutes the seasonal change by brightening to a pleasing yellow. Then, after a leafless winter rest, it will, once again, burst into its bodacious springtime spectacle of blooms, which, for me, begins yet another year of fringe gardening.
March in the garden
• Even as the new spring brings rising temperatures, there is still time this month to start cool-season veggies such as turnips, kale, collards, Irish potatoes, spinach, leeks, garden peas, cauliflower, mustard greens, lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, beets and cabbage.
• Fall-planted, spring-blooming bulbs such as crocuses, daffodils, species tulips, spring starflowers, glory-of-the-snow and Spanish bluebells can naturalize in South Carolina gardens. But they will become established sooner and spread faster if their energy-absorbing leaves are allowed to fade from green to brown before being pruned.
Tip of the month
Although native to South Carolina, fringe trees aren’t particularly common offerings at garden centers, except possibly those that have impressive inventories of indigenous plants. But if you are interested in “fringe gardening,” at least ask your local friendly nursery if they can find one for you. For regional online options, Wilson Brothers Gardens (wilsonbrosgardens.com) in McDonough, Georgia, offers several selections. Ty Ty Plant Nursery (tytyga.com) in Ty Ty, Georgia, offers our native version. And Woodlanders (woodlanders.net) in Aiken sells the Chinese fringe tree.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.