Quackin Grass Nursery

Chionanthus retusus – The Chinese Fringetree is something else! I first ran across an adult specimen with Russell Stafford atop one of the many knolls at Arnold Arboretum. It was the bark on this multi-stemmed shrub that astonished me. Heavily exfoliating, rich brown semi-glossy papery peels decorate the stems all the year round. Spring-blooming pure white flowers set on open panicles about 3 inches long, a bit wider at the outer edges of the shrub. If pollinated purple-black fruits occur in the late season to autumn on female shrubs. Ours, a northern selection exhibits shiny elongated tongues of oppositely set leaves averaging about 6 inches long, some longer with others shorter. Fertile draining soil in at least one-half day of sun to full sun. May be pruned to a single trunk as a small specimen tree. Established pot grown shrub from cutting.