White Fringe Tree Care | How to Care for Old Man’s Beard Tree

With its glorious white flowers, the Old Man’s Beard tree looks spectacular in gardens! Here’s all you need to know about White Fringe Tree Care!

Fringe is a small-sized tree, growing up to 15-25 feet tall, depending upon its bushier or tall growth pattern. It has unique looking leaves that turn yellow during the Spring season. The tree also grows fragrant, snowy-white flowers followed by the cluster of blue-purple berries that attract a lot of birds to the garden! Here’s all you need to know about White Fringe Tree Care!

Botanical Name: Chionanthus virginicus

Check out our article on Rudraksha tree care here

White Fringe Tree Growing Requirements

Sunlight

The tree is quite adaptable and performs well in full sun to partial shade. Its foliage becomes lush green if grown in part shade or filtered sun. But, for extensive blooming, full sun is required.

Location

The fringe tree doesn’t respond well to the transplanting, so it’s always a good idea to choose a permanent spot in your garden to plant it. You can opt for a location where the tree can get a few hours of morning sun with afternoon shade.

Water

Water it deeply and regularly when the topsoil feels dry. Remember, the fringe tree can tolerate drought to some extent when it becomes established, but not for the long term.

Soil

The tree does well in any soil type, ranging from clay to loamy. But, for optimized growth, it prefers well-draining, fertile, and slightly moist soil. The pH of the soil should be slightly acidic, within 6-7.

White Fringe Tree Care

Pruning

Pruning helps in developing a strong tree structure while giving it the shape of your choice! Snip off diseased and broken branches in summer. It also grows with multiple trunks, but you can train it to grow with a single, strong stem by cutting all the remaining bottom branches.

Fertilizer

Feed it with an organic fertilizer like compost or cow dung manure for supplementing its growth. You can also go for a balanced liquid fertilizer of 20-20-20 NPK. For dosage, refer to the instructions on the label.

Some Precautions

• Avoid planting it near walnut trees, as allelopathy may inhibit its growth.
• Avoid pruning in the dormant period, as it may lead to the elimination of all buds.
• The tree is susceptible to attack by scales or borers. Apply neem oil or insecticidal spray as a preventive measure.
• The tree can’t withstand a long drought period. Follow a regular watering cycle.