Chinese Fringe Tree

Most gardens have pretty much the same range of common plants. To bring your garden into the ‘special’ category, you need something different – and the Chinese Fringe Tree is an excellent choice for an easy-care plant that really is different, and not widely-grown. This exciting tree from China, Korea and Japan can be grown as a multi-stem shrub or as a small tree, and typically grows no more than 20 feet tall, although in good conditions it could in time reach 30 feet. This is a tree that delivers beauty in every season – spring brings a wonderful and profuse display of snow-white flowers with narrow petals that hang in a profusion of 4-inch clusters. These develop into clusters of showy, olive-sized blue fruits in summer and fall. In fall too, the leaves turn clear shades of gold and yellow, making an attractive fall display. In winter the bark is attractive too, peeling and shedding in strips to create patterns of grays and browns.

A great plant for out on the lawn, or at the back of shrub beds, where it will be a beautiful and different addition to your garden, creating exactly the unique look that makes a garden distinctive and special – and isn’t that what we all want our gardens to be?

• Beautiful spring display of fragrant snow-white flowers
• Summer and fall display of dense clusters of blue berries
• Handsome leathery green leaves
• Bright fall coloring in golds and yellows
• Shedding bark reveals patterns of grays and browns

Grow the Chinese Fringe Tree in full sun for maximum flowering, but it also grow well with a few hours of shade each day, and also in all-day light, dappled shade beneath large deciduous trees. It grows in most soils, preferring loams or clays, and needs well-drained soil. Protect from deer – other pests or diseases are normally not seen on this tree, which is easy to grow and generally trouble-free. Pruning isn’t required, unless you want to limit the number of main stems to develop a more tree-like form.