Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus) 5 Seeds (12 grams) by Smoke Camp Crafts - American Fringetree, Sweetheart Tree

You will receive one packet containing 5 unprocessed Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) seeds with pulp. Fringetree, known by such varied names as Grancy Gray Beard, Old Man's Beard, and Sweetheart Tree, is a North American native shrub valued for its masses of white spring flowers, clear yellow fall foliage, and distinctive winter bark. Fringetree prefers moist soils and partial shade to full sun but can tolerate some drought. A slow grower, fringetree forms a multi-stemmed shrub 12-20 feet or more in height and spread, though it may be pruned into a single-trunked form. Tolerant of some drought once established, clay soils, black walnut, and urban conditions, fringetree is a versatile addition to many landscapes. Most fringetrees produce either male or female flowers, with male flowers being more showy and female flowers producing purplish berries in fall. Fringetree may be a target of emerald ash borer in areas where that pest has spread. Hardy in zones 3-9.

Fringetrees are easy to grow from seed, if quite slow. Their seeds require 120 days of cold stratification, 120 days of warm stratification, and another 120 days of cold stratification in order to germinate. The simplest way to achieve this is to sow fresh seeds in the fall, though they may be stored in the refrigerator to emulate winter chill. After two chilling periods, you can expect seedlings to begin emerging. Seedbeds should be mulched to reduce weed competition.