About Chionanthus retusus Lindl. & Paxton
Chionanthus retusus, commonly known as the Chinese fringetree, is a flowering plant species belonging to the Oleaceae family. It is native to eastern Asia, specifically occurring in eastern and central China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. This species is a deciduous shrub or small to medium-sized tree that can grow up to 20 metres (70 ft) tall, and has thick, fissured bark. Its leaves are simple, shaped ovate to oblong-elliptic, measuring 3–12 centimetres (1–5 in) long and 2–6.5 cm (0.8–2.6 in) broad, with a hairy petiole that is 0.5–2 cm (0.2–0.8 in) long. It produces white flowers arranged in panicles that grow 3–12 cm (1–5 in) long. Its fruit is a blue-black drupe, 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 0.6–1 cm (0.2–0.4 in) in diameter. Chionanthus retusus is cultivated as an ornamental tree in Europe and North America, where it is valued for its feathery white flowerheads. Near Inuyama in Japan's Aichi Prefecture, there is a grove of seven mature Chionanthus retusus famous for their annual white blooms; these trees have been designated a natural monument by local authorities since 1923.
