Let’s talk about the old man’s beard. No, not that one up there. This one:

Spring is here, full force. That lovely above is chionanthus retusus, more commonly called Chinese Fringetree. Other names for it in the South are Grancy graybeard and old man’s beard. It lives in our front yard.

Here’s how the US Forest Service describes it:

The pure white, fragrant flowers, emerging just as the dogwood flowers fade, hang in four-inch-long, spectacular terminal panicles¹I had to look this word up. ‘A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate.’ Now I need to go look up ‘inflorescence’ and ‘pedicellate’. I’ll get back to you. which appear to cover the tree with snowy white cotton for two to three weeks. Flowers emerge at the terminal end of the spring shoot growth flush. This differs from the native Fringetree which flowers before leaves emerge.”

Here’s a detail shot:

I love this little tree. My Favorite World.

Also, too…the springtime sunset light makes me look huge. My shadow strides My Favorite World like a colossus.

MFW.²inflorescence – n. An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified. ³pedicellate – adj., having a pedicel. Oh swell. I’ll get back to you. Hang on… ⁴pedicel – n., one of the subordinate stalks in a branched inflorescence, bearing a single flower. ⁵The cirularity of the definitions is awesome. I’m dizzy without being one iota smarter.

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