Chionanthus virginicus
White Fringetree
Oleaceae

Located on left side of Manchester Hall facing 195 (clump).

  • leaves opposite (subopposite), simple, large, ovate-elliptic
  • leaves entire (smooth margin), deep green, late to emerge in spring
  • terminal bud pointed, imbricate, brown, with 4 scales
  • lateral buds brown, imbricate, diverging at 45° angle
  • stems smooth, olive brown when young; turning gray after a few years
  • stems are slightly warty at nodes, similar to ash (Fraxinus)
  • stems often squarish in shape
  • flowers white, showy, fine-textured, hanging and ribbon-like, in late spring
  • fruit is an oblong. black drupe (like an olive)
  • fruit borne only on female plants (dioecy)
  • bark somewhat ridged and rough when old
  • habit is a large shrub or small tree
  • plant may be single-stem or multi-stem
  • plant often has young branches that twist and turn


View Chionanthus virginicus page in the UConn Plant Database


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