Courtesy Chinese fringe tree, Chimonanthus retusus. This, along with the weeping willow, are always the last trees to turn and loose their leaves in early December. It is nearly naked now, and though we've only had one or two hard freezes, it signals that winter is really and truly here.
Chimonanthus retusus is a curious species. There are two leaf morphologies within the same species, and the growth habit of the two types is different. For some reason, botanists do not distinguish between them. This is the shorter, more spreading type with oval leaves. The other type is taller, more upright, and has narrower leaves with a tapered point.
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