Chionanthus retusus

The Chionanthus retusus, the Chinese Fringetree, is a beautiful and little-known deciduous Asian bush that owes its other lovely name snow tree to the abundant white flowering that covers the plant in spring. Individually very small, finely star-shaped, they are gathered in very dense hanging panicles which bear small blue-black fruits in September. Often forming several trunks, slightly wider than tall, the Chionanthus retusus is perfect for flower hedges and beds. Very resistant to cold, it thrives in sunny, deep, humus-rich, and moist soil.

The Fringetree is a dioecious bush from the olive family, just like the lilac and the Abeliophyllum. It is native to China, Korea, and Japan where it often forms a true small tree about ten metres high. It was introduced to Europe in 1845 by the botanist Robert Fortune. It is a slow-growing bushy shrub, with a spreading habit, reaching 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in height and 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in width. It flowers quite late in spring, in May-June, on the young shoots, at the same time as its foliage appears. The small flowers, composed of 4 very delicate petals of pure white, are grouped in branching panicles. The male plants are more productive in flowering than the female ones, but their fragrance is only slightly noticeable. When accompanied by a male plant, female plants produce small bluish-black fruit in September after flowering. The deciduous foliage consists of single, elliptical to ovate leaves that are 4 to 10 cm (3.9 in) long. They have a medium green colour and turn a beautiful yellow in October.

The Chionanthus is primarily valued for its beautiful white flowers. It is best suited for large beds of deciduous shrubs in acidic soil or as a flowering hedge in non-limestone soil. Its natural appearance is perfect for wild or English-style gardens. It can be paired with buddleias, lilacs, viburnums, deciduous euonymus, country camellias, or serviceberries to create a stunning display.