White Fringe Tree vs Nuttalls Sunflower - TreeTime.ca

White Fringe Tree vs Nuttalls Sunflower

Chionanthus virginicus

Helianthus nuttallii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

White Fringe Tree
Nuttalls Sunflower

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.

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

White Fringe Tree Quick Facts

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2b
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, colony forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium


Flowers: fragrant, white clusters
Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Berries: blue to black
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Other Names: american fringe tree, american fringetree, fringe tree, fringetree, north american fringe tree, white fringetree
Other Names: common tall sunflower