Gray Beard

Here is my little Grancy Gray Beard I can not really call it Gray BEARD as it only has a small whisker this year

I've never seen anything like this! How many whiskers/beards does it get? Is it a tree or a shrub? How large will it become? How long have you had it? What is it's zone tolerance?
Cecelia

Cecelis MaVieRose posted some links on an earler post of them See post of [Siberianiris] this one has started to look good this year last year I was afraid I was going to loose it

What's the botanical name?

Evert, the genus is Chionanthus - Chionanthus virginicus is the one I'm most familiar with. My neighbor has a gorgeous specimen - it's about 8' tall, about as wide, and full of very fragrant (but not cloyingly sweet) blooms right now. I'm going to try to get some good photos of the full tree, as well as close-up of the blooms (there are surprisingly few on the web.)

Does anyone know the best way to propagate this plant? She's offered me the oppportunity to take a few cuttings.

Vols ==I don't know how to get a start of this I bought it about three years ago in a 2 gal. pot and I was afraid I had lost it last year but glad to see it trying to come back. They grow in the wild about 100 miles south of me but have not seen any around here. Don't know why none is in this area. I think some of them produce seed but have not seen any yet

I went to my SIL'S yesterday and she had dug up some for me. They grow wild in the woods around here. Only recently has someone get smart and started planting in the yards. I was telling someone at work about the tree and she said oh the tree that looks like a cloud. That would be a good way to explain how they look when they are grown and in full bloom. Mt SIL had already dug the ones for me and said the woods were full. I will probable be making another trip soon.

Redclay I would think it is the wrong time of the year to try to transplant them now. Maybe waite until this winter. They set fruit and can be started from seed or cuttings If you can watch the tree and see if you can find the fruit some time in late Aug.

how nice very delicate looking arptiger.

go_vols,
Chionanthus virginicus cannot be started by cuttings. Seed is the only way. Michael Dirr (the great woody plant guru) has been trying to start this plant from cuttings for many years and has failed.

Chionanthus is dioecious (male and female are on separate plants).

I got some seed to germinate, but no stems yet. I think the seed needs light to germinate, so just press it into the surface of your favorite seed-starting mix. It needs a warm/moist period followed by a cool/moist period. That will get the seed to send out a root. Then it needs another cool/moist period before the seed will send out any leaves or stems.

My seeds, with roots, are in the fridge for their 2nd cool/moist period. I will be taking them out of the fridge in late May or early June. With any luck I will have about a dozen little plants by the end of summer.

Chionanthus is hardy in the Twin Cities, USDA zone 4a. There is a 70 year old specimen in the Minneapolis Rock/Peace garden (female). They have planted a male so the female will set fruit (drupes).

I took some pictures of a Chionanthus growing at Edelweiss Nursery in Duluth, MN last summer. I wanted to post a link or attach a picture to this message, but I don't know how.
Can anyone give me a clue?
Thanks,
Mike

Thanks a lot treelover for the info on the fring tree I thought you could start them from cutting but have never tried.http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/chionan.cfm

You will see many listings saying that Chionanthus can be grown from cuttings, but unfortunately, it cannot. The people who post such info have not researched propagation of this plant and just assume that Chionanthus can be started by cuttings.
It never hurts to try, however. And if you are successful be sure to contact Michael Dirr. Also, keep very good records of what you did just in case you are successful. (c:

Thank treelover and glad to see you around.As you can tell here on DG we need all the help we can get. I do most of all

I wish I could find a grancy greybeard...I did find a chinese version, but didnt want it. I prefer to find the native variety. Arptiger where did you find your's?

Kelly333 Where did you find the chinese version at?

King's Nursery in Teneha, Tx

Kelly I got mine at Ivy Nursery Jasper, Texas Phone # (409)384-6455