Chionanthus retusus var. serrulatus

For a week or two in late spring, the Chinese fringetree disappears under snow. Chionanthus retusus var. serrulatus is a deciduous small tree of East Asia, native to China, Korea, and Japan, and the great show is the flowering: dense, lacy, fringed panicles of pure white, each petal narrow and strap-like, smothering the canopy so thickly that the foliage all but vanishes. The genus name says as much, from the Greek chion, snow, and anthos, flower.

The species has been admired in Chinese gardens for centuries, and this serrulate-leaved variety, with finely toothed leaves, is among the more refined forms. Beyond the spring spectacle, fringetrees are quietly generous through the year: a light, sweet fragrance on the flowers, glossy dark green summer leaves, and, on female trees, clusters of small bluish-black fruits in late summer that draw birds and other wildlife. The bark grows handsomely ridged and furrowed with age, giving winter character once the canopy is bare.

In the garden, the Chinese fringetree makes a superb small specimen or patio tree, slow-growing, clean, and well-behaved, with a rounded, spreading head sized for a courtyard or a modest lawn. Site where the late-spring bloom can be seen in full, near a path, a terrace, or a window, and give a darker backdrop of evergreens to throw the white flowers forward. Underplant with low groundcovers or spring bulbs, and pair with other small flowering trees to extend the season.

Additional photos courtesy of David J. Stang.