Well...this isn't what you asked but I am so tickled with my Chionanthus virginicus 'Little Lesle' that I just have to share. This plant was given to me a year ago in a #5. I planted it last fall, and look at what it is doing now. Note that my climate is about as different from yours as can be. I have both C. virginicus and C. restusus (latter grown by me from seed) and they do fine here. I have neutral to slightly basic clay soil. I have many Nyssa also, they do fine here too.

Awesome! I just read the original little Leslie was only 5 feet tall after 28 years and blooms young. Sounds like a great tree you could fit almost anywhere in the garden! Your blooms are beautiful! Glad to hear you have Nyssa as well! My favorite tree. I have a wildfire and green gable! They are off to a great start this year after a harsh winter !

I planted these two seedlings in 2013 and they have been absolutely trouble free. They’re next to a detached garage in full sun. The soil was hauled in to raise the grade for construction of garage, and it is nice sandy loam. They received supplemental watering the first year or two, but they seem to handle dry conditions just fine. Nothing seems to bother the foliage. They flower at a young age and are reliable bloomers. The unique flowers are quite fragrant to boot. Since you’re in Philly, you might find it interesting this native was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson. :)

These pics were taken June 14, 2019.

Awesome thank for the info and pics! Plus the interesting fact about Jefferson ! I know some people trim theirs to get a more tree like look overtime? Have you considered that? Curious of your take on it, or does it just boil down to personal preference. You’ve replied to a few of my posts on here so your input is always appreciated.

two caveats .... take such into consideration as you wish ... you are free to ignore it all ... lol..

how big is your yard.. and do you have room for all your dreams ...

you dont mention planting size.. but might it be getting to late for planting trees in your area?? ... smaller potted plants can be held in pots until fall planting time ...

it is best to move or plant things in dormancy.. when there are no leaves on the plant to stress ... or they are inactive or in slo motion ....

you can work around it all with primo aftercare ... but if you can increase your odds of success .. why not ... and of course.. professionals can do all kinds of things we dont ... including warranties ... but you pay heavily for that ...

note section one at link below ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

Mine have survived, but get attacked by the Emerald ash borer, killing stems. Two in foreground are a mass of resultant suckers/stems, third behind for some reason not attacked nearly as severely.

Third:

I’ve read about emerald ash borer attacking them. How have your trees been handling it ? Is it a never ending battle ?

These were obtained in shrub form and I have left them that way. They can be a bit rank & unruly, but I try to prune them as little as possible. BTW, fruiting has been very sparse, and it leads me to believe I might have two males.

James, it's worse some years than others -- this year there seems to be less damage than others. The fringe trees have some sprouting ability, so they're not getting killed yet, but are suffering quite a bit.