About

This deciduous shrub produces numerous lightly fragrant, delicate, creamy-white flowers during June and July. In the fall, it may bear dark blue-black berries.

About the genus

Chionanthus comprises small deciduous trees or substantial shrubs characterized by opposite simple leaves. They produce loose terminal clusters of white flowers, each featuring four slender petals, which may later give rise to blue-black berries.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Clay, Loam
Soil pH
Acid
Soil moisture
Well-drained
Aspect
West-facing, South-facing, East-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H5

Plant details

Plant type
Shrubs
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
2.5-4 metres
Spread
2.5-4 metres
Time to full height
10-20 years
Suggested uses
Architectural
Native to
E North America
Fragrance
Flower

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in any fertile, slightly acidic, well-drained soil in full sun
Pruning
Pruning group 1; remove lower branches to encourage a tree-like habit
Propagation
Propagate by seed in a cold frame in autumn. May take up to 18 months to germinate
Pest resistance
Generally pest-free
Disease resistance
Generally disease-free