Ash tree leaves are unique and can be used to identify ash trees from other trees. In this post, you’ll learn what they look like so that you’ll be able to differentiate ashes from other trees. 

Before you can identify which type of ash tree you are looking at, you first need to be able to identify ash from other common trees. For example, you need to distinguish ash trees from maples, oaks, birches…etc. So, how do you do this?

The answer is; all ash trees have the same or very similar over-arching characteristics. These characteristics include: branches, bud arrangement, leaves, bark, and seeds. These are the main features that can be used to identify ash trees. One of the best ways to identify an ash tree from other trees is by their leaves.

If you would like to know how to identify ash trees from other ash trees, you will find my post: 17 Ash Tree Species | How To Easily Identify & Differentiate Ash Trees more beneficial.

Ash Tree Leaves – What Do They Look Like?

Ash Trees Have Opposite Leaves, Branches, and Buds

All ash trees (Fraxinus) have opposite leaves and branching (which is a good identifying feature because not many trees have this). Opposite branching/buds are when the branches, buds, and leaves are directly across from one another on the tree trunk or stem, as opposed to alternate branching which is staggered branches up the trunk or stem.

Ash Trees Have Pinnately Compound Leaves

Another good identifying feature for ash trees (Fraxinus) is that they have pinnately compound leaves. This means one compound leaf is made up of many leaflets (mini-leaves) that form a larger leaf. There is a range of 5-11 leaflets that make up a leaf of an ash tree generally. This is a good identifying feature because boxelder (Acer negundo) is the only other tree that has compound leaves. So, if you see a tree with compound leaves there is a good chance it is an ash tree.

 

Parts Of Ash Tree Leaves

The photo below is a simple diagram of the parts of an ash tree leaf. This will be helpful to know when talking about ash tree leaves.

17 Species of Ash Tree Leaves | Examples With Pictures

1. Black Ash Leaves (Fraxinus nigra)

The black ash tree typically has between 7-11 leaflets that make up a leaf. The leaf scar is only slightly notched which is more O-Shaped than the white or green ash.

2. Green Ash Leaves (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Green ash will have 5-9 leaflets that make up an entire leaf. It will most commonly have 7 leaflets. The leaves are 10 to 12 inches in length with individual leaflets 2 to 6 inches long. The leaflets are long-pointed at the tip with a tapering base. The top of the leaf scar is straight and is D-shaped, unlike white ash which has a deep U-Shape.

 

3. White Ash Leaves (Fraxinus americana)

White ash leaves are opposite and pinnately compound and are 8 to 12 inches long with 5 to 9 (usually 7) leaflets that are oval to elliptical. Leaflets are 2½ to 5 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Leaflets attached by longer petioles. The base of each leaflet is well-defined. The leaflets have a distinct, ¼ to 1/3 inch slender stalk that often has finely toothed edges, tapering to a pointed tip. The top of the leaves are dark green and smooth, the bottoms are pale green with short hairs along the midvein and at the base of lateral veins.

The white ash also has a U-Shaped leaf scar notch which is different than the D-shape notch of the green ash, and the slightly notched black ash which is more O-Shaped.

4. Blue Ash Leaves (Fraxinus quadrangulata)

The leaves are 8 to 12 inches long with 7 to 11 leaflets, 3 to 5 inches long, oval or lance-shaped, and with toothed margins.

5. Pumpkin Ash Leaves (Fraxinus profunda)

The leaves of Pumpkin ash are a glossy green and can get up to 40 cm (15.7 in) long and are odd-pinnate with 5-9 leaflets that are hairy on the bottoms. The single leaves are oval but pointed at the tip. The leaf margin is serrated.

6. Carolina Ash Leaves (Fraxinus caroliniana Mill.)

The pinnately compound leaves have 5 to 9 leaflets and are 7 to 12 inches long. Leaflets are 2 to 4 inches long and 2 inches across with a usually serrated margin but sometimes entire. The upperside is dark green and the underside is paler and smooth. The overall feel is thick and smooth.

7. European Ash Leaves (Fraxinus excelsior L.)

European ash leaves are opposite, 20–35 cm (7.9–13.8 in) long, pinnately compound, with 7–13 leaflets with coarsely serrated margins, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 3–12 cm (1.2–4.7 in) long, and 0.8–3 cm (0.31–1.18 in) broad and sessile on the leaf rachis. There are no stipules.

These features distinguish ash from European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) in which the leaves are alternate with paired stipules. The leaves are often among the last to open in spring, and the first to fall in autumn if an early frost strikes; they often fall dull green or develop a bright yellow autumn color.

8. Oregon Ash Leaves (Fraxinus latifolia)

Oregon Ash has pinnately compound leaves like all ashes. The leaves are 4 3⁄4–13 in long, with 5–9 leaflets attached oppositely in pairs on the rachis with one additional leaflet at the tip (common for ash trees). Each leaflet is oval-shaped and is about, 2 1⁄4 – 4 3⁄4 inches long and 1 1⁄8 –1 5⁄8 inches broad which is bigger than most other ashes. The leaves are noticeably lighter green than other species found in the same areas. The leaves will turn bright yellow and fall off early in autumn.

9. Gregg’s Ash leaves (Fraxinus greggii)

Gregg’s ash has distinctive nearly evergreen leaves that are 1-3 in. They are long and are pinnately compound (like all ashes), lightly toothed, dark-green, and leathery which are found in threes, but up to seven small leaflets. The small size of these leaves is a unique characteristic of this ash tree making it a good identifier of this species.

10. Arizona Ash Leaves (Fraxinus velutina)

The leaves are 4 to 10-inches long, pinnately compound with 3, 5, or 7 leaflets 1.5-3 inches or longer with serrated edges. The leaflets can be slightly different shapes and often have velvety hairs beneath which is the reason for one of the many common names “Velvet ash”. However, velvety hairs may not always be present. The foliage will turn yellow in the autumn.

11. Evergreen Ash Leaves (Fraxinus uhdei)

Evergreen ash tree leaflets are similar to other ash trees in that they are pinnately compound, odd in number, and are dark green. The leaves differ from other ash trees because they are partly evergreen as the same suggests. Although, some leaves will still fall off.

12. Mountain Ash Leaves (Fraxinus texensis / Fraxinus Albicans)

Mountain ash leaves are opposite with pinnately compound leaflets like all ashes and are 5″ to 8″ long. The leaves hold 5 to 7 oval to round leaflets. leaflets are long-stalked and 1″ to 3″ long. The leaf color is dark green on top and lighter green on the bottom.

Texas ash has “C-shaped” leaf scars where the bud sits within the cup of the “C”, very similar to white ash.

13. California Ash Leaves (Fraxinus dipetala)

Like all ashes, the leaves are pinnately compound. The leaves are between 2 – 7.5 inches long, light to dark green, with three to seven (rarely nine) leaflets that are usually between 0.4 – 2.75 inches long. The leaves are also thick and serrated along the margins.

14. Narrow-Leaf Ash Leaves (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia.)

The leaves are in opposite pairs or whorls of three, pinnate, and 6–10 inches long. Each leaf consists of 3 – 13 leaflets which are distinctively slender as the name suggests. The leaflets are about 1.2–3 inches long and 1–1.5 cm broad. The margins of the leaves are toothed (i.e. serrated). The leaves will turn a yellowish color in autumn.

15. Raywood Ash Leaves (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa)

Leaves opposite and pinnately compound, but uniquely often have whorls of 3 or 4 at ends of branches. There are usually 5-9 narrow leaflets with each consisting of about 4-6.5 cm long. They are dark green during the growing season and a vibrant red-purple color in the fall.

16. Manna Ash Leaves (Fraxinus ornus)

The leaves are in opposite pairs and pinnately compound. They are, 8–12 inches long and can have 5 to 9 leaflets which are oval shaped and 0.2–0.4 inches long and 0.8–2 in wide. The veins on the underside are usually hairy at the base. The margins of the leaflets are finely serrated with a wavy margin. The petioles are short but distinct, they are around 0.20–0.60 inches long. In the fall the leaves can range from yellowish to purplish. The leaf buds are grey, pinkish-brown, brown, with short grey hairs unlike those of the European Ash which are black.

17. Manchurian Ash Leaves (Fraxinus mandshurica)

Like all ashes, the leaves are pinnately compound and are about 10-15 inches long. The leaflets can number anywhere from 7-13 and are 5-20 cm long, and 2-5 cm wide and are obviously toothed and nearly stalkless. The leaves turn a beautiful yellow-chrome color in the fall.

How To Identify Ash Tree Species From Other Ash Trees

Once you’ve identified that a particular tree is an ash tree with the information above, the next step is to identify which species of ash tree it is. Using ash tree leaves to identify an ash tree to a particular species is more tricky because most ash trees have very similar leaves. For this reason, other characteristics should be used to further identify ash trees to an individual species.

Each species of ash has unique defining characteristics that separate them from other ash trees. Some characteristics are subtle and some are not so subtle. The list of characteristics used to identify ash trees to species is described below.

Characteristics For Identifying Ash Tree Species

Below I’ve listed some helpful characteristics that can be used to help identify ash trees to the species level:

1. Habitat
2. Height
3. Bark
4. Leaves
5. Buds
6. Twigs
7. Flowers
8. Fruit/Seeds
9. Roots
10. Native Distribution

If you would like to know how to identify ash trees from other ash trees using these other characteristics, you will find my post: 17 Ash Tree Species | How To Easily Identify & Differentiate Ash Trees helpful.

Ash tree species are easy to identify once you know what to look for. Learn how to identify ash trees and differentiate ash species by using this field guide. In this post you’ll learn how to:

1. Differentiate ash trees from other tree species (maples, oaks, beech…etc)
2. How to tell ash tree species apart (white ash, green ash, black ash…etc)
3. Learn trees that are commonly mistaken for ash trees but that are actually not ash trees (like American mountain ash trees despite the name).

Let’s jump in…

How Many Species of Ash Trees Are There?

Within the ash tree genus (Fraxinus), there are about 45-65 species of trees (according to Wikipedia). I’m not going to cover ALL of these, I am going to cover the 17 most common ash trees that you are most likely to encounter or have questions about to save you time.

How To Identify An Ash Tree

Ash Tree Classification

First off, it helps to have a brief understanding of the taxonomic classification hierarchy of the ash species. You might not know it but you’re probably already quite familiar with this classification system. 

For example, the botanical/scientific/ Latin names of plants are the genus and species levels of the classification system. Typically plants are identified using family, genus, and then species-level classifications. The higher classifications are unnecessary for basic identification purposes because the classifications become too broad (see photo below).

If the above information confused you at all, don’t worry! All you need to remember is that Fraxinus is an umbrella term that encompasses all ash tree species (white ash, green ash, black ash…etc).

 

How To Identify An Ash Tree From Other Common Trees

Before you can identify which type of ash tree you are looking at, you first need to be able to identify ash from other common trees. For example, you need to distinguish ash trees from maples, oaks, birches…etc. So, how do you do this?

The answer is all ash trees have the same or very similar over-arching characteristics. Characteristics such as branches, bud arrangement, leaves, bark, and seeds are main features that can be used to identify ash trees. These are discussed in the following paragraphs.

Ash Tree Branches & Buds

All ash trees (Fraxinus) have opposite branching (which is a good identifying feature because not many trees have this). Opposite branching/buds are when the branches and buds are directly across from one another from the tree trunk as opposed to alternate branching which is staggered branches up the trunk.

Ash Tree Leaves

If you’re only curious about what ash tree leaves look like, I made another post focusing on just that. You can find it here: 17 Species Of Ash Tree Leaves | What Do They Look Like? (With Pictures)

Another good identifying feature for ash trees (Fraxinus) is that they have compound leaves. One compound leaf is made up of many leaflets (mini-leaves) that form a larger leaf. There is a range of 5-11 leaflets that make up a leaf of an ash tree. This is a good identifying feature because boxelder (Acer negundo) is the only other tree that has compound leaves. So, if you see a tree with compound leaves there is a good chance it is an ash tree.

Ash Tree Bark

The bark of ash trees is a great way to distinguish ash trees from other species of trees. Although not every ash shares the same bark characteristics, many of them do. It is also important to note that mature trees and young trees will have different looking bark. So keep this in mind when identifying ash trees. In many instances, mature ash trees will have diamond-shaped bark ridges or fissures. The younger trees have not developed the armor of older trees and will have thin smooth bark in most instances. 

Ash Tree Fruits

How To Identify Ash Tree Species From Other Ash Trees

Once you’ve identified that a particular tree is an ash tree with the information above, the next step is to identify which species of ash tree it is. Each species of ash has unique defining characteristics that separate them from other ash trees. Some characteristics are subtle and some are not so subtle. The characteristics used to identify ash trees are described below.

Characteristics For Identifying Ash Tree Species

Below I’ve listed some helpful characteristics that can be used to help identify ash trees to the species level:

1. Habitat
2. Height
3. Bark
4. Leaves
5. Buds
6. Twigs
7. Flowers
8. Fruit/Seeds
9. Roots
10. Native Distribution

​

Identifying 17 Common Ash Tree Species

I have made a list of the 17 most common ash trees below. This will make it much easier and faster to identify a particular ash tree to the species level.

Ash trees have different distributions/regions they can be found in. For this reason, some of the ash trees listed may not be found in the area that you’re currently residing in. I have separated the ash trees by where they are distributed which will narrow down your search. This will make identifying ash trees much easier, let’s jump in:

Ash Trees Of The Eastern United States

1. How To Identify Black Ash Trees (Fraxinus nigra)

Other Common Names

Black ash is also called brown ash, basket ash, and hoop ash

Key Identifying Characteristics

A key identifying feature of the black ash is the punky/spongy/flaky bark that other ash trees do not have. Age plays a role in how punky and flaky a black ash tree is. So just because it does not look very punky, don’t rule it out from being black ash, use some of the other identification features below as well.

Habitat

Black ash can easily be identified and distinguished from other ash species in a couple of ways. First, it is a wetland species and will almost always be found in wet areas. Black ash likes wetter soil than most ash trees so you will often find it where soils are saturated. It grows in cold regions in forested swamps.

Height

Black ash trees will grow to about 60 ft tall but will have a fairly slender trunk. The trunk will rarely get more than 20 inches in diameter.

Bark

As mentioned above, an identifying feature of the black ash is the punky/spongy/flaky bark that other ash trees do not have. Age plays a role in how punky and flaky a black ash tree is. So just because it does not look very punky, don’t rule it out from being black ash, use some of these other identification features as well.

Leaves

The black ash tree typically has between 7-11 leaflets that make up a leaf. The leaf scar is only slightly notched which is more O-Shaped than the white or green ash.

Roots

The roots of the black ash also have white dots/specks on them which other ash trees do not have. I’ve noticed that not all black ash will have obvious white dots, but if you do see them then you can confirm it’s a black ash tree. If you don’t see them use some of these other identifying features.

Native Distribution

Black ash occurs in many northeastern U.S. states and in eastern Canada. The northernmost portion of black ash’s range extends from Newfoundland to southeastern Manitoba. Some populations have been observed in North Dakota which is the westernmost distribution. Black ash can be found in all of the Great Lake states the southern limit in northern Virginia.

2.  How To Identify Green Ash Trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Green ash is the most common/widely distributed ash tree species in the United States.

Other Common Names

Green ash is also called red ash, swamp ash, and water ash.

Habitat

Green ash trees like moist soils but not as saturated as black ash trees. Green ash can be found in wetlands, along the edges of wetlands, and in upland areas near wetlands in moist soil.

Height

Green ash will grow to about 60 ft tall and will rarely exceed 24 inches in diameter, which is slightly larger than black ash.

Bark

Green ash bark has ridges and furrows. It is less fissured and furrowed than the white ash, but more fissured than the black ash. The ridges form a diamond-like shape. It is not punky/spongy and does not peel as black ash does.

Leaves

Green ash will have 5-9 leaflets that make up an entire leaf. It will most commonly have 7 leaflets. The leaves are 10 to 12 inches in length with individual leaflets 2 to 6 inches long. The leaflets are long-pointed at the tip with a tapering base. The top of the leaf scar is strait and is  D-Shaped, unlike white ash which has a deep U-Shape.

 

 

Native Distribution

3. How To Identify White Ash Trees (Fraxinus americana)

White ash is another species of ash that is commonly found and widely distributed in the United States.

Other Common Names

White ash is also called purple ash, Biltmore ash, Biltmore white ash, cane ash, small-seed white ash.

Key Identifying Feature

The leaflets have a distinct, ¼ to 1/3-inch slender stalk that often has finely toothed edges, tapering to a pointed tip. The white ash also has a U-Shaped leaf scar notch which is different than the D-shape notch of the green ash, and the slightly notched black ash which is more O-Shaped.

Habitat

White ash trees prefer dry soils and will be found in dryer areas than black and green ash.  White ash and green ash can be found close in proximity, however white ash will be in the dryer soils and green ash will generally inhabiting the wetter areas.

Height

This tree can grow to heights of about 120 ft and support a massive trunk to ~80 inches in diameter in optimal growing conditions.

Bark

The bark of the adult white ash is rough and has deep ridges and furrows that form a prominent diamond pattern. The bark looks similar to green ash but the ridges are even more prominent especially when mature as shown in the photo below.

Leaves

White ash leaves are opposite and pinnately compound and are 8 to 12 inches long with 5 to 9 (usually 7) leaflets that are oval to elliptical. Leaflets are 2½ to 5 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Leaflets attached by longer petioles. The base of each leaflet is well-defined. The leaflets have a distinct, ¼ to 1/3 inch slender stalk that often has finely toothed edges, tapering to a pointed tip. The top of the leaves are dark green and smooth, the bottoms are pale green with short hairs along the midvein and at the base of lateral veins.

The white ash also has a U-Shaped leaf scar notch which is different than the D-shape notch of the green ash, and the slightly notched black ash which is more O-Shaped.

Twigs and Buds

White ash twigs are stout with a gray-olive-green color and are hairless.

Flowers

Inconspicuous, meaning they’re not obvious. White ash has separate male and female plants of which their color is light green to purple, both sexes lacking petals. Female flowers occur in loose panicles, males occur in tighter clusters. The flowers appear after the leaves unfold. 

Fruit

The fruits are winged samaras like all ash trees and develop in late May to June and mature in the fall. The samaras are one-winged, dry, flattened samara with a full, rounded, seed cavity, maturing in fall and dispersing over winter.

Native Distribution

In the distribution map below you can see that white ash is a widely distributed species and is one of the more common ash species found in the United States.

 

 

4. How To Identify Blue Ash Trees (Fraxinus quadrangulata)

The blue ash tree got its common name from its inner bark that will turn blue when it is exposed to air. This color was extracted to make dye.

Other Common Names

Fraxinus quadrangulata is exclusively referred to as blue ash.

Key Identifying Feature

A key identifying feature of the blue ash is its distinctive 4-angled corky wings on the stem and twigs which makes the stem appear square.

Habitat

Blue ash prefers to grow in dry upland soils, it is commonly found growing on limestone.

Height

Blue ash is a medium-sized deciduous tree and can reach heights of 75 feet with a trunk 35-inch diameter in ideal growing conditions.

Bark

Blue ash bark is rough and scaly, forming a plate-like structure. This is somewhat similar to black ash bark but not quite as punky in most cases. You’ll be able to tell which ash it is based on the habitat it is growing in (upland vs wetland).

Fruit

Like all ash, the fruit is a winged samara. The blue ash samara is 1 to 2 inches long and hangs in clusters. Samaras fall from the tree over several weeks in autumn.

Flowers

Blue ash has bisexual flowers that bloom as leaves emerge. The tiny, purple, petal-less flowers hang in loose panicles.

 

 

Leaves

The leaves are 8 to 12 inches long with 7 to 11 leaflets, 3 to 5 inches long, oval or lance-shaped, and with toothed margins.

Twigs

As mentioned above the twigs typically have four corky ridges which is a defining feature of the blue ash. This gives twigs a square look, the name quadrangulata actually means four-angled.

Native Distribution

Blue ash is not as commonly found in the U.S. Its native distribution is confined to the midwest as shown in the distribution map below.

 

5. How To Identify Pumpkin Ash Trees (Fraxinus profunda)

Pumpkin ash could be confused with white ash because they share similar characteristics. However, white ash grows in uplands whereas pumpkin ash grows in wetlands.

Other Common Names

The other common names include red ash or swell-butt ash.

Key Identification Features

The term pumpkin ash comes from the pumpkin-shaped swollen trunk (buttressed) that can often be found at the base of the tree. The swelling of the trunk occurs most commonly in the wettest areas such as in standing water. The branches of pumpkin ash are gray-brown with distinct leaf scars, leaf scars are oval (not deeply notched).  The leaves are compound like all ashes, with 7-9 stalked elliptic leaflets. The leaves and rachis are densely hairy. The fruit is a large winged samara (4-7 cm long and 7-10 mm broad) which is the largest of any ash species.

 

Habitat

Similar to black ash, pumpkin ash has a natural habitat of consistently wet areas such as swamps, floodplains, river valleys, and other low areas.

Height

Pumpkin ash is a tall tree at maturity and can reach up to 125 ft tall and 6 ft in diameter but is typically 60-80 ft at maturity.

 

Bark

The bark is pretty characteristic of ash tree species but slightly less diamond-shaped perhaps. It’s rough, forming rectangular blocks, the irregular furrows deep and only vaguely diamond-patterned. Bark becomes more fissured with age, young trees do not have much if any fissuring.

 

Twigs & Buds

The twigs are gray-brown, stout, fuzzy, with distinct leaf scars that are oval (not deeply notched). The buds are almost black.

Roots

Pumpkin ash is a deep-rooting tree with far-reaching shallow lateral roots with a formed taproot.

Leaves

The leaves of Pumpkin ash are a glossy green and can get up to 40 cm (15.7 in) long and are odd-pinnate with 5-9 leaflets that are hairy on the bottoms. The single leaves are oval but pointed at the tip. The leaf margin is serrated.

Fruit

Pumpkin Ash has the largest fruit of any Ash species. The paired samaras are about 8 cm (3.2 in) long. On female trees, samaras mature in August-October in drooping clusters.

Native Distribution

Since pumpkin ash likes swampy areas it is predominately found in the Atlantic Coastal Plain from southern Maryland and southeastern Virginia to northern Florida, and west to Louisiana. It does grow in the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys from southern Illinois and Indiana, south through southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas. Even though pumpkin ash trees can be found in all these areas, it is pretty discontinuous meaning its presence is patchy. The native distribution map is shown below.

6. How To Identify Carolina Ash Trees (Fraxinus caroliniana Mill.)

This ash tree could be confused with black ash (Fraxinus nigra) because they both grow in wetlands, they don’t always grow very large, and their bark is not always deeply furrowed (age-dependent). Although there is minimal overlap in their distribution range it is possible to find both based on the USGS maps provided throughout. Carolina ash has less punky bark than black ash which is a good way to tell the two apart.

Other Common Names

Carolina ash is also referred to as Carolina water ash, water ash, Florida ash, pop ash, poppy ash, and swamp ash.

Key Identification Features

Like the pumpkin ash (above) a good identifying feature of the Carolina ash is the swollen base of the tree trunk. This ash tree will only grow to about 30 feet tall and have a diameter of about 8 inches at maturity, most ashes will grow taller than this. It also does not have deep bark ridges/furrows.

Habitat

Carolina ash is the smallest of the northeastern ash species and grows in swamps, wetlands, and wet woods.  It does not tolerate salt spray or brackish waters. In nature it is an understory tree in moist to wet, shady sites with acidic soil.

Height

This ash tree will only grow to about 30 feet tall and have a diameter of about 8 inches at maturity.

Bark

Like many ash trees, the Carolina ash has bark furrowing that develops with age.

Leaves

The pinnately compound leaves have 5 to 9 leaflets and are 7 to 12 inches long. Leaflets are 2 to 4 inches long and 2 inches across with a usually serrated margin but sometimes entire. The upperside is dark green and the underside is paler and smooth. The overall feel is thick and smooth.

Twigs and Buds

Twigs are smooth but sometimes fuzzy, gray-brown, with oval leaf scars.

Flowers

Green to purplish flowers are dioecious and appear in spring in clusters before the leaves. Male flowers are in a dense mass while female flowers are a more open cluster or panicle. They bloom in May. Similar to those of other ash species.

Fruit

Flattened broad-wing samaras are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long and 1/2- 3/4 inches wide. The violet wings hang well below the seed portion and there can be 2 to 3 wings. Matures from July to October.

Native Distribution

The Carolina ash is found in the southeastern United States to Cuba.

 

7. How To Identify European Ash Trees (Fraxinus excelsior L.)

Other Common Names

European ash is also referred to as common ash, or just ‘ash’.

Key Identification Features

The twigs are smooth, greenish-grey, stout, and have large jet-black velvety leaf buds arranged oppositely, making them easily identified even in winter without leaves or fruit. The jet-black buds are a distinguishing feature of the European ash because most other ash species have grey or brown buds.

Habitat

This ash tree does well in areas that have been disturbed.

Height

This ash tree is a medium-sized tree that commonly reaches heights of 40-60 ft with a trunk diameter of 6 feet at peak maturity, although some may be larger in ideal growing conditions.

Bark

European ash bark is smooth and pale grey on young trees, becoming thick and vertically fissured on old trees.

Leaves

European ash leaves are opposite, 20–35 cm (7.9–13.8 in) long, pinnately compound, with 7–13 leaflets with coarsely serrated margins, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 3–12 cm (1.2–4.7 in) long, and 0.8–3 cm (0.31–1.18 in) broad and sessile on the leaf rachis. There are no stipules.

These features distinguish ash from European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) in which the leaves are alternate with paired stipules. The leaves are often among the last to open in spring, and the first to fall in autumn if an early frost strikes; they often fall dull green or develop a bright yellow autumn color.

Twigs & Buds

The twigs are smooth, greenish-grey, stout, and have large jet-black velvety leaf buds arranged oppositely, making them easily identified even in winter without leaves or fruit. The jet-black buds are a distinguishing feature of the European ash because most other ash species have grey or brown buds.

Flowers

The flowers are borne in short panicles, open before the leaves, and have no perianth. The female flowers are somewhat longer than the male flowers, dark purple, without petals, and are wind-pollinated. Both male and female flowers can occur on the same tree, but it is more common to find all male and all female trees. A tree that is all male one year can produce female flowers the next, and similarly a female tree can become male.

Fruit

The fruit is a samara 2.5–4.5 cm (0.98–1.77 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) broad, often hanging in bunches through the winter; and are often called ‘ash keys’. If the fruit is gathered and planted when it is still green and not fully ripe, it will germinate straight away, however, once the fruit is brown and fully ripe, it will not germinate until 18 months after sowing (i.e. not until two winters have passed).

Distribution

The European ash tree is, as the name would suggest, native to Europe. It can be found from northern Spain to Russia, and from southern Fennoscandia to northern Greece. It is also considered native in southwestern Asia from northern Turkey east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains.

The northernmost location is in the Trondheimsfjord region of Norway. The species is commonly cultivated and has established in New Zealand, United States, and Canada including; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Ontario, Ohio, Kentucky, and British Columbia.

Ash Trees Of The Western & Southwestern United States

8. How To Identify Oregon Ash Trees (Fraxinus latifolia)

Other Common Names

Does not appear any other common names exist.

Key Identification Features

The bark is distinctive with dark gray-brown, and it will eventually develop a woven pattern of deep fissures and ridges, though younger trees in this species will have smoother bark. This tree can be further identified by its opposite buds and branching of stout twigs with wooly hairs. This is an especially helpful tool in the winter when no leaves remain on the tree. The leaflets are also wider than most other ashes. The botanical name “latifolia” actually means ‘wide leaves’.

Habitat

The Oregon ash tree grows mostly in wetlands and wet habitats such as sloughs, swales, wet meadows, swamps, streams, and bottomlands. 

Height

Fraxinus latifolia is a relatively average-sized deciduous tree that can grow to heights of 65 ft to 80 ft in height, with a trunk diameter of 16–30 inches. This ash tree has a life span of approximately 100−150-years. It is possible that Oregon ash can grow much larger and live longer in the right growing conditions. It will also become stunted in dryer habitats which is something to consider when attempting to identify this species.

Bark

The bark is distinctive with dark gray-brown, and with age will develop a woven pattern of deep fissures and ridges. Like many trees, the younger ashes of this species will have smoother bark.

Leaves

Oregon Ash has pinnately compound leaves like all ashes. The leaves are 4 3⁄4–13 in long, with 5–9 leaflets attached oppositely in pairs on the rachis with one additional leaflet at the tip (common for ash trees). Each leaflet is oval-shaped and is about, 2 1⁄4 – 4 3⁄4 inches long and 1 1⁄8 –1 5⁄8 inches broad which is bigger than most other ashes. The leaves are noticeably lighter green than other species found in the same areas. The leaves will turn bright yellow and fall off early in autumn.

Buds

Like all ash trees, this ash has an opposite branching arrangement and opposing buds.

Twigs

Oregon ash has stout twigs with wooly hairs which is one of the better identification tools, especially in winter when there are no leaves on the trees.

Flowers

In mid to late spring, the tree produces small flowers that are not very noticeable. This ash tree has light green flowers that start growing during the months of March-May.

Fruit

The fruit (cluster of samaras) is produced by a female tree. The samaras are about 1 1⁄8 – 2 inches long and include wings similar to maple trees. It is shaped like a canoe oar, with the small seed located at one end. Interestingly, this ash only starts producing seeds once it reaches about 30 years of age. They will ripen and turn brown around the beginning of fall, (August-September) and then fall off the tree. The wings help the fruit disperse through the wind.

Roots

 Oregon ash will develop relatively shallow roots compared to other ash species, but their root systems will be very dense that have an incredible reach in order to absorb up all the nutrients needed to sustain their life.

Native Distribution

Fraxinus latifolia is found on the west side of the Cascade Range from southwestern British Columbia south through western Washington, western Oregon, and northwestern California; and in central California in the Sierra Nevada.

9. How To Identify Gregg’s Ash Trees (Fraxinus greggii)

Other Common Names

Gregg’s Ash is also called; Gregg Ash, Littleleaf Ash, Dogleg Ash, Escobilla, Barreta China

Key Identification Features

This ash tree has many unique characteristics, making it fairly easy to identify. These characteristics are described below:

• Gregg’s ash tree is unique in that it has nearly evergreen leaves. These leaves are small (less than 2 inches long) pinnate, dark green, and leathery. Unlike most ash trees the bark is smooth and thin.
• Another key identifying feature is that it is usually a shrub, and less commonly found as a tree. If found as a tree it is small in height (about 20 feet).
• Smooth, thin, gray bark; slender branches; and pinnate, dark-green, leathery leaves characterize the plant.

Habitat

This ash is found on rocky limestone slopes, bluffs, and canyons and more prevalently in dry creek beds and washes in sandy or loamy soils. Gregg’s ash is a drought-tolerant species

Height

This ash is uniquely a small tree or shrub. As a tree, it not often exceed 20 feet in height.

Bark

The bark of this ash tree is smooth and light gray which is a great way to identify this ash from most other ashes. Most ashes do not have smooth bark, instead, they are furrowed to some extent. Manna ash would be an example of another ash tree with smooth bark.

Leaves

Gregg’s ash has distinctive nearly evergreen leaves that are 1-3 in. They are long and are pinnately compound (like all ashes), lightly toothed, dark-green, and leathery which are found in threes, but up to seven small leaflets. The small size of these leaves is a unique characteristic of this ash tree making it a good identifier of this species.

Twigs

Another unique characteristic of Gregg’s Ash is that it has slender branches/twigs. This can be observed in the first photo of this section.

Flowers

The flowers are inconspicuous, meaning they are not obvious. They are very tiny and clustered with male parts appearing before females. This is to avoid self-pollination. Flowers have purple (male) anthers and yellow (female) aging to brown stigma and ovaries in green sepals. Gregg’s ash flowers do not have petals.

Fruit

Like all ashes, this ash also has samara (small winged seeds).

Native Distribution

Gregg’s ash can be found in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona within the United States, and south to Jalisco and Veracruz in Mexico

10. How To Identify Arizona Ash Trees (Fraxinus velutina)

Other Common Names

Arizona Ash has many common names. Additional common names of Arizona ash (Fraxinus velutina) include:

• Velvet ash
• Modesto Ash (a cultivar of Arizona ash)
• Desert ash
• Smooth ash
• Leatherleaf ash
• Fresno ash
• Toumey Ash
• Standley Ash

Key Identifying Features

The Arizona ash is also called “velvet ash” for having a velvety underside to its leaflets. However, these hairs are not present in every circumstance.

The Arizona ash tree is native to North America to Mexico. The Arizona ash is similar to the green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) closely related to the Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia). A distinction of this ash is very difficult because of the similarities. This ash tree does not grow very tall, only to about 35 feet in height. Green ash and Oregon ash will grow taller generally.

A good way to identify this species from these other ash species is to look at the distribution range maps. There is some overlap between these species, but not complete overlap.

Habitat

Arizona ash trees grow best at the edges of wetlands where soils are not completely saturated but get adequate amounts of water. This ash tree is also a widely planted ornamental species.

Height

It is a small deciduous tree growing to 35 feet tall, with a trunk up to 12-inches in diameter.

Bark

Like many ash trees, the bark is rough gray-brown and deeply fissured in the shape of diamonds with scaly ridges.

Branches & Twigs

The shoots are velvety/downy.

 

Roots

Shallow-rooting plant

Leaves

The leaves are 4 to 10-inches long, pinnately compound with 3, 5, or 7 leaflets 1.5-3 inches or longer with serrated edges. The leaflets can be slightly different shapes and often have velvety hairs beneath which is the reason for one of the many common names “Velvet ash”. However, velvety hairs may not always be present. The foliage will turn yellow in the autumn.

Flowers

The flowers are produced in small clusters in early spring; it is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees. The flowers inconspicuous and will bloom in spring in clusters which is common for ash trees. Male and female flowers will be found residing on separate trees.

Fruit

The fruit is in the form of seeds, that hang in dense clusters. The fruit is a samara 0.6-1.2 inches long, with an apical wing 4-8 millimeter broad.  

Native Distribution

The distribution range map of Arizona ash trees is shown below. This ash is native to southwestern North America, in the United States from southern California east to Texas, and in Mexico from northern Baja California east to Coahuila and Nuevo Len.

 

11. How To Identify Evergreen Ash Trees (Fraxinus udhei)

Other Common Names

Shamel Ash

Evergreen Ash

Key Identification Feature

This ash tree is native to Mexico and was introduced to the United States. Its distribution in the U.S. is primarily only found in southern California.

Although this tree is called ‘evergreen’ ash it is not completely evergreen. These trees will retain some leaves-year long, but it is also partly deciduous so it will drop some of its leaves as well. This is a good identifying feature in the winter.

The bark of this ash tree is light gray and fissured. It does not have the diamond-shaped fissures that many ash trees have. Instead, it has more square-looking fissures.

Habitat

Evergreen Ash is generally grown in parks, commercial areas, and can be seen adorning large landscapes.  It is an extremely drought tolerant tree and will need very little water once it has been established.

This species of ash is not too picky where it can grow. It can grow in pH levels that are highly acidic to highly alkaline soils that are clayey, loamy, or sandy in texture and that is moist to dry. It does well in areas with full sun or partial shade and also has some seaside tolerance.

USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 10.

Height

The evergreen ash is a large and fast-growing tree. It commonly grows to 80 feet in height, growing 36 or more inches per year, and can live up to 150 years of age in good growing conditions.

Bark

The bark of this ash tree is light gray and fissured. It does not have the diamond-shaped fissures that many ash trees have. Instead, it has more plate-like square fissures.

Leaves

Evergreen ash tree leaflets are similar to other ash trees in that they are pinnately compound, odd in number, and are dark green. The leaves differ from other ash trees because they are partly evergreen as the same suggests. Although, some leaves will still fall off.

 

Flowers

Like most ash trees the flowers are inconspicuous and flower in spring.

Fruit

The fruit is a yellow or green samara that is about 0.5 – 1.5 inches, and fruits in the Summer or Fall.

Native Distribution

This ash tree is native to Mexico and was introduced to the United States. Its distribution in the U.S. is primarily only found in southern California.

12. How To Identify Mountain Ash Trees (Fraxinus texensis / Fraxinus Albicans)

Do not confuse this Mountain ash (Fraxinus texensis / Fraxinus Albicans) with American Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana) which is not technically an ash tree (see Species Resembling Ash Trees Section Below).

Other Common Names

Texas ash

Key Identification Feature

Mountain ash is a recent relative of white ash (Fraxinus americana), and looks very similar. Some botanists believe that mountain ash is a subspecies of white ash (Fraxinus americana). For this reason, the botanical name was changed from Fraxinus texensis to Fraxinus albicans for more precise nomenclature accuracy.

Since mountain ash is closely related to white ash it is notoriously hard to differentiate, especially when leaves are off. Texas ash has “C-shaped” leaf scars where the bud sits within the cup of the “C”. This is very similar to white ash.  In general, mountain ash has fewer and smaller leaflets and smaller fruit because it has adapted to a warmer, less humid climate.

Mountain ash is only located in a very small area of the United States.

Habitat

Mountain ash trees will grow on rocky limestone hillsides, bluffs, and ridges.

Height

This ash tree is medium-sized, it can grow to around 45 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 2 feet.

Bark

The bark of mountain ash trees is gray, with brown or black spots, diamond-furrowed, with the furrowing developing with tree age.

Leaves

Mountain ash leaves are opposite with pinnately compound leaflets like all ashes and are 5″ to 8″ long. The leaves hold 5 to 7 oval to round leaflets. leaflets are long-stalked and 1″ to 3″ long. Leaf color is dark green on top and lighter green on the bottom.

Texas ash has “C-shaped” leaf scars where the bud sits within the cup of the “C”, very similar to white ash.

Mountain ash leaves are opposite with pinnately compound leaflets like all ashes and are 5″ to 8″ long. The leaves hold 5 to 7 oval to round leaflets. leaflets are long-stalked and 1″ to 3″ long. Leaf color is dark green on top and lighter green on the bottom.

Texas ash has “C-shaped” leaf scars where the bud sits within the cup of the “C”, very similar to white ash.

Flowers

Male and female flowers are found on separate trees in order to prevent self-fertilization. When new leaves emerge, female flowers will be found in loose clusters. Male flowers are found in dark-purplish clusters near the end of twigs.

Fruit

The fruit is a skinny, pointed seed that is enclosed by a flattened wing (samara), and is about 1″ long and up to 0.25″ wide. These seeds are in loose clusters connected by short stalks.

Native Distribution

The native distribution of mountain ash is confined primarily to Texas, except for a northern extension into the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma.

 

13. How To Identify California Ash Trees (Fraxinus dipetala)

Other Common Names

Other names for California ash is two-petal ash and foothill ash.

Key Identification Feature

The California ash tree has many unique characteristics, making it easy to identify. This ash tree is not dioecious like most ashes, instead, it is bisexual (each flower of each tree has both male and female structures). The flowers are showy on this ash, which is uncommon for ash trees which usually have inconspicuous flowers. Also, this tree is multi-trunked and does not usually grow more than 25 feet tall. Finally, the twigs are cylindric to 4-angled, similar to those of blue ash.

Habitat

This ash is drought resistant and is found residing in canyons, slopes, chaparral, and oak/pine woodlands. They are also commonly planted as a garden tree.

Height

California ash is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to around 25 feet tall.

Bark

The bark of this tree is grayish-brown and is furrowed with long ridges. The furrowing develops with tree age.

Fruit

The fruit is a long, flat samara 0.8 – 1.25 inches long and 5 – 9 millimeter broad. When the fruit is developing it is green and hangs in bunches. In the summer or fall, the samara color will be yellow or green.

Leaves

Like all ashes, the leaves are pinnately compound. The leaves are between 2 – 7.5 inches long, light to dark green, with three to seven (rarely nine) leaflets that are usually between 0.4 – 2.75 inches long. The leaves are also thick and serrated along the margins.

Trunk

California ash is often a multi-trunked tree which is a fairly unique characteristic among ash species.

Twigs

The twigs are cylindric to 4-angled which is another fairly unique characteristic among ashes.

Flowers

California ash has white flowers and are showy, which is uncommon for ash trees which usually have inconspicuous flowers. The showy flower-clusters bloom in late spring, making it a good choice as a flowering accent tree in a garden.

Native Distribution

This species of ash is native to southwestern North America in the United States and can be found in Arizona, California, Oregon, southern Nevada, and Utah, and in Mexico in northern Baja California. It grows at altitudes of 328 – 4,265 feet.

Ash Trees Outside Of The United States

14. How To Identify Narrow Leaf Ash Trees (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia.)

Other Common Names

Narrow-leaf ash is also referred to as desert ash, golden stem ash, and phoenix ash.

Key Identification Feature

• As the name suggests, the narrow leaflets of narrow-leaf ash are a distinctive characteristic.
• The flowers are inconspicuous and appear in late winter or early spring. Flowers are in dense clusters and can be male or bisexual. Bisexual ashes are uncommon making this a helpful identifying feature.
• The bark of the narrow ash tree is squarish and knobby instead of a diamond fissured pattern.
• The buds are brown and hairless (i.e. glabrous), which readily distinguishes them from the related European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which has black buds even in winter.

Habitat

This ash tree does well in urban settings and in acidic soil with lots of sun. Because it is drought tolerant it also grows in dry rocky places in maquis shrublands or in pine/mixed forest.

Height

It is a medium to a large deciduous tree growing to 65–100 feet tall with a trunk up to 5 feet in diameter. 

Bark

The bark is smooth and pale grey on young trees, with knobby square-fissuring on older trees.

Buds

The buds are brown and hairless (i.e. glabrous), which readily distinguishes them from the related European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which has black buds even in winter.

Leaves

The leaves are in opposite pairs or whorls of three, pinnate, and 6–10 inches long. Each leaf consists of 3 – 13 leaflets which are distinctively slender as the name suggests. The leaflets are about 1.2–3 inches long and 1–1.5 cm broad. The margins of the leaves are toothed (i.e. serrated). The leaves will turn a yellowish color in autumn.

Twigs

Younger stems of this ash tree are greenish-brown or yellowish, hairless, and have small white spots.

Flowers

The flowers are inconspicuous and appear in late winter or early spring. Flowers are in dense clusters and can be male or bisexual. Bisexual ashes are uncommon making this a good identifying feature.

Fruit

The winged fruit (samaras) contain a single seed. This fruit (3-5 cm long) is oval-shaped and often slightly twisted.

Native Distribution

The narrow-leaf ash can be found in Southwest Asia, southern and central Europe, and northwest Africa.

15. How to Identify Raywood Ash Trees (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa)

Raywood ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa subsp. oxycarpa) is a common cultivar of narrow-leaf ash (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia.) (above). Some botanists and plant specialists list raywood as a subspecies, hence the long name (F. angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa).  However, there is not a consensus on this. Some don’t consider the differences (hairlessness and leaflet number) enough to justify a subspecific identity. For this reason, some will identify this species as F. angustifolia ‘Raywood’ instead.

Other Common Names

Raywood ash is also called Claret Ash.

Key Identification Feature

• The leaf color is vibrant red and purple during the fall which is the reason it is a widely cultivated species.
• The leaflets will have white hairs on the lower half of the midribs.
• This tree does not produce seeds/fruits. This means raywood ash is a mostly sterile cultivated species. These trees will leave less mess in the fall because seeds won’t be dispersed due to it being sterile.
• The bark is more smooth than other species of ash.

Habitat

This tree is not native to the U.S., it is cultivated species often used for landscaping. Raywood ash should be planted in areas that offer a lot of sun, and well-drained soil. Raywood is also drought tolerant. This ash tree will be able to grow in somewhat wetter habitats, just not as well.

Height

This ash tree can reach 25 – 45 feet in height given ideal growing conditions such as well-drained soils and full sun.

Bark

The bark is not fissured like many ash trees, it is generally more smooth.

Leaves

Leaves opposite and pinnately compound, but uniquely often have whorls of 3 or 4 at ends of branches. There are usually 5-9 narrow leaflets with each consisting of about 4-6.5 cm long. They are dark green during the growing season and a vibrant red-purple color in the fall.

Buds

The buds of raywood ash are similar to narrow-leaf ash in that they are a brown color. This helps distinguish them from the related European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which has black buds even in winter.

Flowers

Like most ashes, the flowers dioecious and inconspicuous and flower in spring.

Fruit

This tree does not produce seeds/fruits. This means raywood ash is a mostly sterile cultivated species. These trees will leave less mess in the fall because seeds won’t be dispersed.

Roots

Surface roots may be a problem with this species of ash for landscape purposes. They are shallow rooting.

Native Distribution

Raywood ash trees are not native to North America, they are native to the Mediterranian. That being said, they are commonly planted in North America for its showy red-purple fall foliage.

 

16. How To Identify Manna Ash Trees (Fraxinus ornus)

Other Common Names

Manna ash is also called flowering ash, or South European flowering ash.

Key Identification Feature(s)

As one of the common names suggest (flowering ash), the manna ash tree produces showy white flowers. Showy flowers are not a common occurrence for most ash trees making it a good identifying feature.

The leaf buds are grey, pinkish-brown, brown, with short grey hairs unlike those of the European Ash which are black.

The bark is dark grey, remaining smooth even on old trees which is not common for most ash trees, making it a good identifying feature.

Habitat

This ash tree grows in mixed woods, thickets, and rocky places, most commonly on limestone.

Height

Fraxinus ornus is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 50–80 feet tall with a trunk up to 40 inches in diameter.

Bark

The bark is dark grey, remaining smooth even on old trees which is not common for most ash trees, making it a good identifying feature.

Leaves

The leaves are in opposite pairs and pinnately compound. They are, 8–12 inches long and can have 5 to 9 leaflets which are oval shaped and 0.2–0.4 inches long and 0.8–2 in wide. The veins on the underside are usually hairy at the base. The margins of the leaflets are finely serrated with a wavy margin. The petioles are short but distinct, they are around 0.20–0.60 inches long. In the fall the leaves can range from yellowish to purplish. The leaf buds are grey, pinkish-brown, brown, with short grey hairs unlike those of the European Ash which are black.

Buds

The buds are pale pinkish-brown to grey-brown, with a dense covering of short grey hairs.

Flowers

As one of the common names suggest (flowering ash), the manna ash tree produces showy white flowers. Showy flowers are not a common occurrence for most ash trees.

California ash (described above), native to the western United States, is another example of a species that produces showy white flowers.

Fruit

The fruit is a green slender samara that changes to brown as it ripens. The samaras are about  0.59–0.98 inches long, 0.08 inches broad, and 0.2–0.2 inches broad.

Native Distribution

Manna ash is a native of central Europe, It was introduced to Britain around 1700 and is usually grafted on to a rootstock of European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.).

17. How To Identify Manchurian Ash Trees (Fraxinus mandshurica)

Manchurian ash is closely related to Fraxinus nigra (Black Ash) from eastern North America. Some professionals treat this ash as a subspecies of black ash. For example, Fraxinus nigra subsp. mandschurica (Rupr.) S.S.Sun, or Fraxinus nigra var. mandschurica (Rupr.) Lingelsheim.

Other Common Names

Other common names for this species is mancana Manchurian ash, or mancana ash.

Key Identification Feature

The first-year twigs of the Manchurian ash are a golden color.

Habitat

This ash tree does well in many different types of conditions. It can grow in clay or sandy soils that are either wet or dry, with various pH levels, in shade to sun, various temperatures and weather conditions, but prefers some water with well-drained soils with full sun for best growth. Because of these characteristics, it can withstand fair amounts of pollution, making it an excellent plant for urban city settings and for landscaping. Although this ash can grow in a variety of conditions, it grows best with full sun with moist well-drained soils. In these conditions, it will grow 2-3 feet per year. It does better in slightly drier conditions than black ash, more characteristic of green ash.

Height

It is a medium-sized to large deciduous usually growing to 40-50 feet but can reach around 100 feet tall, with a trunk around 20 inches in diameter.

Bark

The bark of this species is gray and smooth when young, it later develops shallow fissures characteristic of many ashes.

Leaves

Like all ashes, the leaves are pinnately compound and are about 10-15 inches long. The leaflets can number anywhere from 7-13 and are 5-20 cm long, and 2-5 cm wide and are obviously toothed and nearly stalkless. The leaves turn a beautiful yellow-chrome color in the fall.

Buds

The buds of the Manchurian ash are black, ovate, pointed and about 1/4 inches long.

Twigs

An identifying characteristic of this ash tree is first-year twigs are a golden color.

Flowers

Like most ashes, the flowers are produced in spring and are inconspicuous making them poor identifying features. The flowers of this species do not have petals.

Fruit

Like all ashes, the fruit is a samara comprising a single seed 1–2 cm long with a wing that is 2.5–4 cm long and 5–7 mm broad.

Roots

The roots of this ash are shallow, fibrous, and spreading. This is something to consider in landscaping.

Native Distribution

 The Manchurian ash native distribution range includes northeastern Asia in northern China, Korea, Japan, and southeastern Russia. This tree is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental tree in parts of Canada and the United States but in such low numbers, it is not recorded in the USDA maps.

Species Resembling Ash Trees (That Are Not Actually Ash Trees)

 By looking at the scientific names of these species you can tell right away that they are not actually true ash species. For example, Fraxinus is not shown in their scientific name, meaning they are not classified as true ash species, despite some of the names having ‘ash’ in them. This is why it is important to understand the classification system stated at the beginning of this post.

• American Mountain Ash Tree (Sorbus americana)
  • Not to be confused with Texas ash (which is an ash tree) and is also called mountain ash.
• European Mountain Ash (sorbus aucuparia)
• Boxelder Tree (Acer negundo)
• Shagbark Hickory Tree (Carya ovata)
• Elm Tree (Ulmus species)
• Black Walnut Tree (Juglans nigra)
• Prickly Ash Tree (Zanthoxylum americanum)

 

Why Are Ash Trees Important? Threats to Ash Trees

Emerald Ash Borer

Ash trees are endangered because of the emerald ash borer (EAB). EAB is an insect that eats through the cambium layer in the ash which eventually kills the tree because the cambium layer is how trees obtain nutrients. EAB is an invasive insect that is devastating the ash tree populations. This is not good because ash trees not only provide native wildlife with food, shelter, and habitat they provide wood products for people.

Sources

USDA Plant Profile Database. Used for gathering ash tree distribution range maps.

Types of Ash Trees