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 cresent 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