Grancy Graybeard – Fringe Tree

Chionanthus virginicus

Other Names: American Fringetree, American Fringe Tree, Fringetree, Fringe Tree, Grancy Greybeard, Old Man’s Beard, Sweetheart Tree, White Fringetree

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3b-9a Find Your Zone

Shrub Type: Deciduous Flowering Tree

Height at Maturity: 12-15′

Width at Maturity: 10-15′

Spacing: 20 feet for space between trees

Growth Habit / Form: Broad, Upright

Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: 1.5-2″ in clusters

Flowering Period: Spring

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes, Large fruit on female plants only

Berry Color: Purplish-Blue

Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun, Morning Sun With Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Afternoon Sun, Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average, Low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy(amended), Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Dry when established

Soil pH: 4.5 – 6.0 (Acid to Slightly Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention, Butterflies, Birds

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Heat, Insect

Description

When in flower, the Grancy Graybeard is one of the most beautiful trees you’ll ever set your eyes upon. Also known as the White Fringe Tree, Lace Tree or Old Man’s Beard, it is a wonderful North American native tree that is an exceptionally hardy and long-lived addition to any landscape. In late spring, its showy fringe-like blooms cascade downward like the white beard of a wise old man, inspiring the name Grancy Greybeard. The flowers also add a lovely, potent, sweet perfume fragrance to the air about when the dogwoods are beginning to fade. The flowers are attractive to a variety of beneficial insects and birds and small mammals when fruiting. It is a moderate grower reaching maybe 20 feet in height with an equal width over the years.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 12 to 15 feet tall and wide, the Grancy Greybeard tree is ideal for use as a specimen in landscape borders or to frame the corners or against open walls in home foundation plantings. In larger landscape spaces it can be planted in groupings. It is a fine addition to wildlife gardens, North American native plant garden, cottage gardens and Xeriscape gardens (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 20 feet for space between trees

Growing Preferences

Grancy Greybeard is adaptable to a variety of light and soil conditions, from full sun to filtered shade, doing very well under large trees. It prefers a moist, well-drained soil, however will tolerate somewhat dry soils and drought when established. A must-have native in every garden where it will grow!

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