Fraxinus americana (White Ash)

Native to eastern North America, Fraxinus americana (White Ash) is a magnificent, large, deciduous tree with a straight trunk and a dense crown, pyramidal to upright-oval when young, becoming rounded with age. The foliage of compound pinnate, dark green leaves contains 5-9 leaflets, which turn rich shades of yellow to reddish-purple in the fall. After dropping to the ground, the attractive silvery-brown bark, ridged and furrowed into diamond-shaped patterns, is revealed, providing winter interest. In mid-late spring, purplish male and female flowers appear on separate trees. The female flowers are followed by drooping clusters of winged samaras, 2 in. long (5 cm), that ripen in fall and may persist on the tree throughout winter.

The Fraxinus americana is a host plant for various butterfly species. The caterpillars of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feed on its leaves. This relationship is a classic example of the interdependence between flora and fauna in an ecosystem, where the plant provides food and shelter for the butterfly larvae, and in return, the butterflies can aid in pollinating other plants.

Tough, the wood of White Ash is particularly suited for making baseball bats, tennis racquets, hockey sticks, polo mallets, oars, and playground equipment. Resistant to heat, Fraxinus americana is a splendid shade tree or specimen tree for a large landscape.

• Grows up to 60-80 ft. tall and wide (18-24 m).
• A full sun lover, this plant is easily grown in organically rich, moist, well-drained loams. Some drought tolerance once established.
• Perfect as a specimen plant.
• This beautiful tree is subject to the emerald ash borer, which can kill the tree within 3-5 years after infestation. This borer now constitutes a serious threat to all species of ash in North America.
• Keep an eye our for lilac borer, carpenter worm, oyster shell scale, leaf miners, fall webworms, ash sawflies and ash leaf curl aphid. Potential disease problems include fungal leaf spots, powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, cankers and ash yellows.
• Deer resistant.
• Native to eastern North America.