FNPS Plant Database

Chionanthus virginicus

white fringe tree
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

white fringe tree

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Chionanthus virginicus

Family:

Oleaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

10-20 (30) ft tall by 8-15 (20) ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

blue-black

Phenology:

Deciduous. Flowers and leaves emerge late in the spring and leaves fall early in the fall. Fruits ripe by fall.. Lifespan >50 yrs (Nelson).

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen tree where a small drought-tolerant tree is desired.

Considerations:

Flowers and leaves emerge late in the spring and leaves fall early in the fall. When not blooming, it's not outstanding.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Stratified seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Short very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Acidic (pH 5.5-6.5)

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

Don't know your zone? Click here to search by zip code.

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for rustic sphinx ( Manduca rustica ), waved sphinx ( Ceratomia undulosa ), and laurel sphinx ( Sphinx kalmiae ).

Fruits are eaten by birds and small mammals.  

Native Habitats:

moist hammocks, but adaptable to many situations.

Natural Range in Florida:

Loading Florida counties…

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Emerald ash borer is a problem in the northeast, and if it reaches Florida, it would likely be lethal to this species.

Citations:

BONAP Plant Atlas. (2013). ( https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Ageratina%20jucunda.png ). Accessed 2025. Biota of North America Program, Chapel Hill, NC.


Florida Wildflower Foundataion. (2007). Flower Friday: Fringetree. ( https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-chionanthus-virginicus/ ).

Florida Wildflower Foundation, Maitland, FL.


Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Huegel, Craig N. (2010). Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Nelson, Gil. (2003). Florida's Best Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


University of Tennessee Extension Service. (2010). Desired pH Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants. ( https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/10/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf ). Accessed 2025. University of Tennessee Extension, Knoxville.


Watkins, John and Thomas Sheehan. (1975). Florida Landscape Plants, Native and Exotic. University Presses of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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