White Fringe Tree vs Silky Lupine - TreeTime.ca

White Fringe Tree vs Silky Lupine

Chionanthus virginicus

Lupinus sericeus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

White Fringe Tree
Silky Lupine

White Fringe Tree is known for its fringe-like white flowers. It can either grow as a small tree or a large multistemmed shrub. The White Fringe Tree has separate male and female plants. Both male and female flowers have white fringe-like petals, but the male flowers are longer and showier. The female flowers give way to clusters of dark blue to black berries. These berries are not edible for humans but attract birds and other wildlife.

The White Fringe Tree is tolerant of clay soils, saline soils, and air pollution but does not do well in prolonged dry conditions.

Silky Lupine is a native perennial wildflower known for its upright spikes of blue to violet flowers. Blooming from late spring into summer, the nectar-rich, showy blossoms attract a variety of pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. The plant’s fine, silky foliage provides soft texture and visual interest, enhancing landscapes throughout the growing season.

Silky Lupine is a nitrogen-fixing plant that enriches soils and supports surrounding vegetation. Its deep roots stabilize soil, and it spreads naturally by ejecting seeds from drying pods. If spread isn’t desired, new seedlings are easy to remove. While it is foraged by some wild animals, it contains alkaloids that are toxic to livestock. Silky Lupine is well-suited to pollinator gardens, naturalization plantings, erosion control, and ecological restoration projects.

White Fringe Tree Quick Facts

Silky Lupine Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: toxic to sheep and other livestock
Foliage: Silky-haired, palmately compound leaves
Flowers: fragrant, white clusters
Flowers: Blue to violet pea-like flowers
Bloom time: mid to late summer
Berries: blue to black
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: american fringe tree, american fringetree, fringe tree, fringetree, north american fringe tree, white fringetree