Saving the best for last

Just when it seems like the trees have finished their spring bloom show, the grancy gray beards burst into a shimmery cloud of white.  The fruit trees were lovely, the dogwoods were elegant, but God saved the best for last.  Apparently my tree enjoyed the wet winter because this year's blooms are so bright they practically glow in the dark. 

Also known as a fringe tree, these native trees can be grown with multiple trunks or pruned to a single trunk.  They prefer woodland borders but are hardy in the full sun and will tolerate a great deal of shade.  When full grown, they are a lovely shade tree in a smaller landscape. 

This tree is a fabulous alternative to dogwoods, which are susceptible to disease, and to the bradford pear trees, which are structurally unsound.