Fringetree, or old-man's-beard, is farily common understory small tree or large shrub, found in a variety of habitats. In mid-April to early May trees in sunnier sites put on a fantastic display of fringey white flowers.

The masses of white flowers hang down like an old man's beard.

Chapel Hill, NC 4/24/2002.

Chapel Hill, NC 4/24/2002.

Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.

Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.

Granville Co., NC 5/1/2011.

Granville Co., NC 5/1/2011.

Fringetree is fairly easy to recognize in leaf, since it's one of our few native deciduous trees or shrubs with large, entire, opposite leaves. Compare with the large wetland shrub Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), which has smooth leaves and young branches.

Granville Co., NC 5/1/2011.

Granville Co., NC 5/1/2011.

Leaf undersides are densely covered with white hairs.

Granville Co., NC 5/1/2011.

Young branches and petioles are densely covered with white hairs.

Granville Co., NC 5/1/2011.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Chapel Hill, NC 4/19/2002.

This spectacular specimen, the largest I've seen, is at the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. This tree lost much of its crown in the severe ice storm of December 2002.

Chapel Hill, NC 4/24/2002.

The small olive-like fruits mature in late summer.

Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.

Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Durham Co., NC 8/3/2003.

Bark of a small tree.

Durham Co., NC 8/3/2003.

Bark of the large tree at the NC Botanical Garden.

Chapel Hill, NC 4/24/2002.

Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.

Bark of an old tree.

Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.