Scientific Name:
Fraxinus excelsior
Pronunciation:
FRAK-si-nus eks-SEL-see-or
Common Name:
common ash, European ash
Family Name:
Oleaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Tree stout; branches grey; leaves opposite, pinnately compound, 25-30cm long; leaflets (7-)9 or 11(-13) per leaf, ovate-lanceolate-oblong, most 5-10cm long x 2-3cm wide, margin serrate, sessile; flowers tiny, purple, April-May; samaras 2.5-4.5 cm long x 5-8 mm wide. Winter ID: buds like fuzzy dark 'chocolate chips' to nearly black, mostly rounded, about 5mm long, bases of end buds may touch the pointy terminal bud, leaf scar crescent shaped to half-round with a notch for the bud; vein scars are very numerous in a crescent or U-shaped line.
Habit:
Spreading, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
22 - 30m
Mature Spread:
15 - 25m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Fall interest, Specimen plant, Street (boulevard tree), Tall background, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Google. Culivars shown may include F. 'Jaspidea' (bright yellow fall colour and winter twigs) and F. 'Diversifolia' (has simple toothed leaves).
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Compound Leaf:
Odd-pinnate
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Yellow
Shapes:
Elliptic
Apices:
Acuminate, Acute
Bases:
Cuneate, Obtuse
Margins:
Serrate
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered
Flower Morphology:
Dioecious plant
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, Green, Purple, Pink, Red, Dark-red
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Additional Info:
Flowers can also be perfect or the plant monoecious
Fruit Type:
Samara
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy
Bark Morphology:
Plated, Lightly fissured
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Brown
Leaf Bud Type:
Ovoid, Rounded or globular
Leaf Scar Shape:
Half-round
Propagation:
Seed, Grafting
Maintenance:
Medium
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Caterpillar or cutworm, Dieback, Heart rot, Rust, Scale insects
Specific Pests:
(Fairly resistant to Emerald ash borer), ash anthracnose
Course(s):
- HORT 1155
Location(s):
- (LTW) Langley Township Walk
- (TFL) Turf Field Lab
- (TFLS) Turf Field Lab South
- (WLG) WoodLand Garden