For our April 2023 featured native, we’ve chosen a native April bloomer, the white fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus.  Fringetree in the wild is an inhabitant of the savannas and moist ravines of the southeast piedmont and coastal plain from New Jersey south and west to northern Florida and east Texas and southern Arkansas.  Chionanthus virginicus is the type specimen for the genus, from Greek chion ‘snow’ and anthos ‘flower’.

Typically white fringetree is a slow-growing large shrub or small tree, usually maturing at 18-25 ft / 5-8 m (occasionally 30+ ft / 10 m) in height, with an equal or slightly larger spread.   It is a relatively slow grower; typically 6-12 inches /15-30 cm per year.  The habit generally is bushy and multi-stemmed.   The long, dark-green, glossy oval to lanceolate leaves emerge with the flowers in mid-spring, about the time the native dogwood (Cornus florida) flowers fade.  The lightly fragrant, pure white flowers, with thin thread-like petals (hence the common name), are borne in dense drooping panicles that contrast well with the emerging foliage.  Male and female flowers are usually borne on separate individuals.  Like privet (Ligustrum), lilac (Syringa), and ash (Fraxinus), Chionanthus is a member of the olive family (Oleaceae).  The flowers on female trees are followed by clusters of deep blue to purple olive-like fruits, usually containing a single seed.  Fall color is a reliable bright golden-yellow.

[Article continues below photos.]