White Ash

Fraxinus americana

General: The white Ash is the largest of the ash trees in North America that grows 40 to 60 feet tall, sometimes reaching 100 feet and up to 24 feet in diameter. It is most abundant in valleys and along streams and grows best in rich, moist, well drained soils. It is moderately shade tolerant and can withstand severe soil and climate conditions.

Leaves: Leaves are opposite pinnately compound with 7-9 leaflets. They are bright green or yellowish green on both sides and turn yellow, red, orange and purple in the fall.

Bark: Bark is dark brown or gray tinged with red. It is strongly rigid and furrowed and forms a diamond-like pattern.

 

Flowers: White Ash trees are dioecious, meaning that the male flowers and female flowers occur on different trees. The flowers are light green to purple in color and both female and male flowers lack petals. The flowers are very inconspicuous and are not showy. Male and female flowers appear very similar besides that male flowers are tightly packed while female flowers tend to expand more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruit/Seed: It produces flat winged Samara 1 to 2 inches long with a full, rounded seed cavity. The Samara hang in clusters and disperse during the winter. These seeds are wind dispersed.  These Samara’s help distinguish between male and female trees- only females have them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pollination method: The white ash is entirely wind pollinated. The pollen is carried by wind as far as 110 m from the point of dispersion.

Interesting Facts: It is one of the primary commercial hardwoods in the United States. The wood is used to make baseball bats, tool handles, furniture, and it is used as firewood.  Native Americans used different parts of the plant for a variety of medicinal purposes including relief from insect bites, cure for fevers, an aphrodisiac, and appetite stimulant.

Range: It is typically found in eastern North America