Fringe tree could be either of two types of ‘snowflowers’
Q. The tree has been here since we moved in two years ago and no one seems to know what it is. It is in bloom now with white feather-like blooms. The leaves drop in the fall. It gets full sun in the afternoon. Can you identify this? Does it need pruning? If so, when is the best time? — N. Mazzoni, Williamsburg
A. The blooms are the giveaway — your tree in question is a fringe tree. That much I know, but I can’t be certain of which one. That is because, there are two possibilities that look very much alike — Chionanthus virginicus and Chionanthus retusus. The former is our native, which grows throughout the southeastern United
States, and the later, imported from China in in the 1800s. By the way, the name Chionanthus, given by Linnaeus, is Greek for “snowflowers” (chino = snow + anthus = flower). Pretty good description.
Both are small deciduous trees, often multistemmed, unless otherwise trained by pruning. Chionanthus is hardy throughout the Southeast, up into the Northeast. They produce a multitude of dense panicles of white flowers in the spring.
The plants are dioecious (males and females on separate plants) and the females produce tiny blue/ purple fruits in the fall if a male pollinator is nearby.
These are good landscape plants without pest or disease problems, are stress tolerant, and with a preference for a sunny spot. The fall foliage is yellow, but nothing to write home about.
While they look quite a bit alike, there are some subtle differences between the two. The Chinese fringe blooms a little later in the spring. The panicles are more compactand upright, and bloom color is a clear white. The tree is potentially taller, typically 15 to 25 feet, but can reach 40. It has a neater, more uniform appearance — a broad spreading habit, more compact and branched, than the American cousin. As it ages, the bark begins to peel and become more interesting. Our C. virginicus is an attractive gray color and develops ridges as it ages.
Q. My neighbor noticed a peculiar-looking plant in her yard and asked that I send a picture to see if you could determine what is happening. She said it is foxglove, but that the stem is oddly shaped and flattened like a ruler. She has never seen one like it before. — J. Moore and B. Schaefer, Gloucester
A. This is an example of fasciation, a physiological disorder that occasionally occurs in plants when a mutation takes place in the apical meristem, the domed-shaped cells at the tips of shoots.
Normally, these meristematic (growth) cells are directed to divide in such a manner that the stem is cylindrical. In this case, there is a copying error, resulting in an oddly flattened stem. Nevertheless, the vascular tissues, those that conduct water/minerals and metabolites, are still capable of doing their job.
Fasciation is not common, but does occur in some species more frequently than others, including: cacti, celosia, primula, lilies, delphiniums, euphorbias, fern and you guessed it — foxglove.
Rather than a flattened stem, fasciation sometimes results in a proliferation of flower buds or two-headed flowers. Perhaps you have seen the latter in the gerbera daisy. A very strange look indeed.
In nature, these mutations may be induced by insect or disease organisms such as phytoplasmas. Environmental factors like frost may induce, as can physical damage to the meristem.
In the lab, these can be induced by exposure to X-ray and chemical mutagens. In some cases, the mutations are duplicated by propagators using techniques like grafting to replicate the odd-looking plant.
This is nothing to be concerned about — it is just an interesting biological oddity. Marvel while you can: You may not see it again.
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