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Chionanthus retusus (Chinese Fringe Tree) – A nice shaped tree that typically grows to 20 feet tall in cultivation with a rounded crown of dark green leaves that often turn golden in late fall. It has flowers held in 4-inch-wide panicles that are borne in profusion in early spring (March-April in Santa Barbara), yet many references list this plant as blooming in the summer. It is a dioecious species with blue-black fruits produced on female trees after the bloom. Trees in cultivation are often variable in leaf size and bark color.
This is a hardy tree that can be planted in a lawn in full sun or used as an understory in partial shade. It grows best in fertile well-drained soils and given regular irrigation. The gray bark provides an interesting accent to the winter landscape. It is hardy to below 10°F and useful in USDA zones 5a and above.
Chionanthus retusus is native to eastern Asia from eastern and central China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The name for the genus comes from the Greek word 'chion', meaning "snow" and 'anthos', a "flower", in reference to the abundant white fringe-like flowers. The specific epithet is from the Latin word 'retuse' meaning "rounded shallowly" or "blunt" in reference to the leaf tip.
We grew this plant from 1990 until 2005. We still like this plant, but it seems to require more water than other plants we grow in our mediterranean climate palette - a great tree in the lawn if you have one. It also seems to be sensitive to Oak Root Fungus (AKA Armillaria Root Rot) as trees planted in areas of old oak forests have not lived very long.
The information about Chionanthus retusus that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.
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