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Scientific Name:
Fraxinus americana
Pronunciation:
FRAK-si-nus uh-mair-ih-KAY-nuh
Common Name:
American ash, white ash
Family Name:
Oleaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves opposite, pinnately compound, 19-35cm long, each with (5-)7(-9) leaflets, most ovate-lanceolate 5-9cm long x 3-5cm wide, margins entire (at least at base) to slightly serrate (at least midway to apex), wavy, scalloped, or with small teeth, most petiolules 3-5mm long (2-3 longer on the terminal leaflet); samaras 2.5-5cm long. Winter ID: buds rusty to dark chocolate brown with suede-like scalloped scales; leaf scar U-shaped with the lateral bud sitting deep in the notch; vascular bundle scars are very numerous in a U-shaped line.

Habit:
Dense, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical, Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
10 - 15m
Mature Spread:
7 - 10m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Garden origin, U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Attract birds, Fall interest, Shade tree, Specimen plant, Street (boulevard tree), Tall background
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown (mature trees at VanDusen) or on campus include F. 'Appldell' (Autumn Applause®), F. 'Jeffnor' (Northern Blaze®), and F. 'Junginger' (Autumn Purple®).

Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Compound Leaf:
Odd-pinnate, Leaflets stalked
Colour in Summer:
Green, Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Purple, Red, Dark-red
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Acute, Rounded
Margins:
Crenate, Entire, Serrate, Undulate (wavy)
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour

Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered
Flower Morphology:
Dioecious plant
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, Green-yellow, Dark-red
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May

Fruit Type:
Samara
Fruit Colour:
Green, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy, Some cultivars are seedless because they're male

Bark Morphology:
Lightly fissured
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey
Leaf Bud Type:
Narrowly conical
Leaf Scar Shape:
U-shaped
Propagation:
Seed
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Stem borer insects (Deer resistant)

Course(s):
  • HORT 2355
  • Level 2 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
  • (BCE)  Boulevard (Circular) Eastend : cv. Jeffnor (the northern tree)
  • (BUG)  BUG garden : cv. Appldell (Autumn Applause) - towards WDH area
  • (TFL)  Turf Field Lab
  • (TFLN)  Turf Field Lab North : cv. Appldell (Autumn Applause)
Location Map