Fringe Tree

Year-round

Fringetree is a slow, low-care small tree for sun to part shade and well-drained soil.

• It flowers best in full sun and tolerates clay.
• Expect 12 to 20 feet tall and wide, growing slowly.
• It is hardy in zones 3 to 9 and tolerates some drought.
• Young plants transplant best because larger ones resent root disturbance.

It grows into a rounded small tree, so give it room away from walkways and keep the form tidy.

Fall

Leaves turn yellow in fall, and it is a good time to plant.

• Plant by early October in Harrisburg so roots settle before winter.
• Water new trees until the ground freezes.
• Skip fertilizer, since it is a low-maintenance plant.

Winter

Winter shows off scaly dark brown bark and needs little care.

• The tree is hardy through Harrisburg winters.
• Check that mulch is not piled against the trunk.
• Skip heavy pruning, since the source gives no pruning schedule.

Spring

Spring brings fragrant white flowers, usually April to May.

• Plant young trees in spring and water weekly through the first season.
• Flowering is best in full sun.
• Mulch the root zone, keeping mulch off the trunk.

Summer

Summer care is mostly watering a young tree.

• Give young trees a deep soak weekly in dry weather.
• Established trees tolerate some drought.
• Blue-black fruits ripen from July to September.

Year-round

American fringetree is a small flowering tree that does well in Tallahassee's warm, humid climate as long as it gets some afternoon shade and soil that doesn't dry out completely.

• Give it full sun to partial shade, with afternoon shade helping both the foliage and the bloom look their best
• Plant in moist, slightly acidic soil, it tolerates clay, sand, or loam as long as drainage is reasonable
• Water deeply and regularly while young, established trees handle short dry spells but do best with consistent moisture
• Needs very little pruning, mostly just removing dead or crossing branches
• Skip planting it where it gets ocean or road salt spray, since it has no salt tolerance
• Watch for scale insects or mites, a horticultural oil treatment usually clears them up

Its neat, rounded shape and fragrant white spring flowers read as an intentional, HOA-friendly front yard accent tree.

Fall

Fall is a quiet season for fringetree, mostly leaf drop and root growth, and a good time to plant a new one.

• Ease off supplemental watering as temperatures cool
• Fall planting gives a new tree time to settle roots before next summer's heat
• Rake up fallen leaves if leaf spot was an issue over the summer
• Hold off on pruning until the tree is fully dormant

Winter

Tallahassee winters are mild, and an established fringetree needs little beyond occasional water during dry spells.

• Established trees handle the area's typical winter lows without protection
• Water occasionally during a dry winter, especially for a young tree
• This dormant season is the best window for any structural pruning
• If a hard freeze warning comes through, check a young trunk afterward for any freeze damage

Spring

Spring is fringetree's big moment, with fragrant white fringe-like flowers opening as new leaves come in.

• Water regularly during a dry spring to support flowering and new growth
• Once flowers fade is the best window for any light shaping
• Watch new growth for early scale or aphid activity
• A light feeding of balanced fertilizer can help a young, still-establishing tree, mature trees usually don't need it

Peak bloom is this tree's best curb-appeal moment, worth a front yard spot where it will be seen.

Summer

Through Tallahassee's hot, humid summer, fringetree mostly just needs steady moisture and an occasional check for fungal leaf spotting.

• Deep water during dry stretches, more often for a young tree
• Keep 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the base to hold moisture and cool the roots
• Fungal leaf spot or powdery mildew can show up in humid weather, most cases don't need treatment
• Hold off on heavy fertilizing during peak summer heat