New Recruits

 We have three new recruits for the arboretum catalogue. These three young plants were collected from the grounds of the arboretum and then transplanted to their current locations. All can be found on the grassy slope near Cline Hall dormitory. This area is currently a full-sun location. Within the next decade we hope to have more tree leaves and less sun.

 

This little rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum) was found growing between the two old persimmons.

 

Hopefully this mulberry is a red mulberry (Morus rubra), and not a hybrid. Only time will tell. It was collected from under the groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia), also located on the grassy slope near Cline Hall.

 

Also under the groundsel bush, a very small fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) was found.

 

Tree of the Week: Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)

 

Our tree of the week is a young fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), growing on a gradual slope near the Student Union Building. This specimen volunteered in a nearby location, under a shingle oak. While still a seedling, it was transplanted to this sunny spot during the winter of 2019.

 

An on-site native southern red oak (Quercus falcata) looms in the background, providing some afternoon shade.

 

For the first two years, this volunteer barely grew and seemed to struggle. However, it appears that those first two years were spent on root development, as our little fringe tree had explosive growth this spring. Much of the growth you see is from the past several months. Today, it stands a little more than two feet tall.

 

Leaves appear opposite from one another along the young trunk.

 

The glossy, dark green leaves have an elliptical shape and smooth edges.

 

Tree of the Week: Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Fringe trees (Chionanthus virginicus) are flowering in northwest Louisiana. You can find them on the Centenary campus, around town, and growing wild in Caddo parish. This tree takes on different shapes depending on the growing conditions. In the arboretum, you can study fringe trees grown in low-light, part shade and full sun conditions. Trees grown in full sun, like the individual pictured below, tend toward a multi-trunk habit.

Our tree of the week is a diminutive, shrubby fringe tree, covered in the eponymous fringe flowers. This individual is 6-years-old. It's an arboretum volunteer, first identified as a tiny seedling, growing under a hawthorn -- not the best location for its development.

During the winter of 2013, soon after it was identified, the little seedling was transplanted to this very sunny location, on a steep slope south of Mickle Hall, and near the Ratcliff Gazebo.

For such a young tree, its flower production is marvelous. These flowers have a faint, sweet fragrance.

This fringe tree has taken on a multi-stemmed form, resembling a shrub.

A panicle was snipped for closer inspection.

The panicles are long, and clustered with white flowers.

Each flower is slight, very delicate.

Petals are very thin, but long, measuring approximately an inch in length.

Tree of the Week: Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)

This week in the arboretum you can observe the beautiful, blue fruits of the fringe trees (Chionanthus virginicus). The best viewing location is on the west side of the Fitness Center. There you'll find a grouping of fringe trees with heavily ornamented branches. Fringe tree fruits resemble olives, and they look good enough to eat. Unfortunately, these fruits are inedible. Removal of the outer blue covering reveals a single inedible seed.

In 2002, four Caddo parish seedlings were planted near the Fitness Center along the concrete drainage. Over the years, the four individuals have grown together, forming a bush. The Fitness Center blocks the morning sun, but in the afternoon, this is very sunny spot.

Looking westward, we see the gradual slope leading up to Cline Hall dormitory. A bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is pictured to the left of the fringe trees, and on the right side of the frame, we see the outstretched limbs of a pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens). All three species appreciate the extra water that runs down the hill.

After more than 15 years in the ground, the fringe trees are still small, with slender trunks. A couple of the individuals could be pruned back to a single-stem form, but overall the individuals have multi-stemmed forms, resembling shrubs rather than trees.

Fringe trees have dark green leaves which will make it difficult to see the fruits from afar. In order to appreciate the subtle beauty of the innumerable fruits,  you will need to get up close and personal with the trees.

The ovoid fruits resemble fresh olives.

Fringe tree fruits hang from long panicles.

Fruits measure approximately half an inch in length.

Some fruits are a little larger, measuring over half an inch.

Each fruit is a drupe. A little liquid is released when squeezing the fruit, and after the blue covering is removed, a single, large seed is revealed.

You can find more photos of the arboretum's fringe trees here.

For more information about this species consult the following:
United States Department of Agriculture
Texas A&M University (Aggie Horticulture)
NC State University
University of Florida (IFAS Extension)

Immature Fruit

In the middle of May, we are seeing immature fruits on the fringe trees (Chionanthus virginicus).

Occasionally, volunteer fringe trees will spring up in the arboretum, and sometimes those volunteers are added to the collection.

Spring Flowers

There are six fringe trees (Chionanthus virginicus) in the arboretum collection. There is a grouping of three individuals near the Fitness Center -- those finished blooming last week. Three others still have pretty, white flowers this week, and they are scattered about the arboretum. The photos below are from a 6-year-old tree, still quite small, growing in full sun on the hill that slopes down from the southwest corner of Mickle Hall.

Note: This species also goes by the name of grancy graybeard.

Chionanthus virginicus