green ash
Family
OleaceaeScientific Name
Fraxinus pennsylvanicaSynonyms (former Scientific Names):
Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. integerrima
Fraxinus smallii
Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. lanceolata
Fraxinus campestris
Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima
Fraxinus darlingtonii
Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. austinii
Fraxinus lanceolata
Leaves
Fruits are straw-colored, one-seeded, winged
(samaras), 1 to 2 1/2 inches long, borne in dense
branching clusters; flowers are inconspicuous,
without petals, borne in dense clusters (panicles) near
the ends of the twigs, male and female flowers on
separate trees; leaves are opposite, pinnately
compound, 4 to 6 inches long, 7 to 9 leaflets,
narrowly elliptical, long-pointed, entire, bright green
above, paler below; stem straight, bark thin with
network of interlacing ridges, brown to dark gray,
twigs smooth; roots are shallow, wide-spreading
Identifying Characteristics
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh., green ash, is a
deciduous, medium-sized tree with an open, irregular
crown reaching about 50 feet in height. Native to
eastern North America and is fairly common west to
Wyoming and Colorado along plains watercourses at
elevations below 6,000 feet. The tree is fast growing
on moist bottomlands, and is extremely hardy to
climatic extremes once established.
Where Found
Green ash is widely adapted to soils, moisture
conditions and pH found east of the Rocky
Mountains. The species will tolerate seasonal
flooding, but is intolerant of shading from
surrounding trees. Green ash is a fairly early
successional tree on most sites.
Green ash is distributed throughout the east and
midwest of the United States.
Growth Habit
woody bush or tree
Thorns or Spines
not present
Approximate Flower Diameter
larger
Dominant Flower Color
yellow
Flower Symmetry
bilateral symmetry
Leaf Hairs
no hairs
Leaf Shape
round
Leaf Arrangement
opposite
Leaf Margin
entire
Leaf Structure
simple
Leaf Stalk
longer than leaf
Stem Hairs
no hairs
Stem Cross Section
round or oval
Milky Sap
not present
Life Cycle
perennial
Ochrea
not present
Plant Type
Tree