White Ash

Fraxinus americana

Leaves: Deciduous. Pinnately compound leaves 8 to 15 inches long, 5 to 9 leaflets, usually 7. Each leaflet is 2 to 6 inches long, 1 to 3 inches wide, ovate and pointed at the end. Dark green color with a lighter underneath. Dark purple to yellow fall color.

Bark/Twigs: Ash gray to gray-brown colored bark. Furrowed into close diamond shaped areas. Bark very distinctively cross-hatched.

Flowers/Fruit: Inconspicuous flowers. Dioecious - species have both male and female trees. Female trees produce 1 to 2 inches long, ¼ inch wide seeds which look like a canoe paddle.

Mature size and shape: Large. 50 to 80 feet high x 50 feet wide. Younger trees are pyramidal to upright oval. As it ages the tree develops a rather open rounded crown.

General information/special features: Plant in full sun. Grows best in deep, moist, well-drained soil, but can withstand soils that are not too dry and rocky.

Landscape use and maintenance: Good shade tree. Medium growing rate. Average maintenance. Easily transplanted. Buy male varieties to avoid messy seeds.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9

Family/Origin: Oleaceae – Olive. A large tree native to moist sites in most of the eastern U.S.

Campus Use: Somewhat common. Can be found west of Building 379 along Mario Capecchi Dr.