Fraxinus americana
Common name: 
White Ash
American Ash
Pronunciation: 
FRAKS-i-nus a-mer-i-KA-na
Family: 
Oleaceae
Genus: 
Fraxinus
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous tree, 50-80 ft (15-24 m) high, similar spread, maintains a central leader in youth.  Lateral buds inserted in the leaf scar.  Leaves opposite, pinnately compound, 20-38 cm long, 5-9 leaflets (usually 7), each 5-15 cm long, basal leaves the shortest, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, usually entire, or edged near the apex or all of the margin with remote serrations, dark green and glabrous above, limited pubescence on major veins below; fall color from yellow to maroon to deep purple.  Flowers dioecious - male and female flowers on separate plants, lack petals, green to reddish purple, in clusters, appear before the leaves but not important ornamentally.  Fruit, single winged samara, 2.5-5 cm long.
  • Sun.  Growth may be best in deep, moist, well-drained soil, however, fall color better in full sun.  Not considered as adaptable as Green Ash, but rated higher for its ornamental attributes.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 4    Native range from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas.
  • A number of selections, including:
    • Autumn Applause®   -   seedless, oval form, densely branched, leaves somewhat drooping, leaflets smaller than usual, fall color deep purple to mahogany.
    • Autumn Purple® (syn. 'Junginger')  -   seedless, rounded habit, dark green leaves, fall color deep purple to mahogany.  .
    • Cimmaron®  -  seedless; has red to orange-red fall color.  Introduced as, and often sold as, a Green Ash (Acer pennsylvanica), but likely a selection of F. americana (Jacobson, 1996).  Oregon State Univ. campus: row planted north of the softball field on Western Ave.
    • ‘Rosehill’  -  seedless, rapid straight growth, broad habit, leaves dark green, fall color yellow, pinkish, or bronze-red, tolerates poor, alkaline soil.
    • ‘Royal Purple’  -  upright habit, fall color royal purple (sometimes listed as F. pennsylvanica).
    • Skyline®  (syn. ‘Skycole’)  -  seedless, upright branches, oval crown, leaves glossy medium green, fall color orange-red.  "suspiciously similar...to F. americana ‘Elk Grove’" (Jacobson, 1996, p. 212).
    • Windy CityTM (syn.'Tures')  -  few fruit, oval habit, strong central leader, fall color burgundy to reddish-orange, with gold and yellow accents.
  • Corvallis: north side of Central Park on Monroe Ave; also on 3rd St. between Adams and Washington Ave (both Autumn Purple®).

 

Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaf

    leaf

  • leaflet

    leaflet

  • leaves and fruit clusters

    leaves and fruit clusters

  • developing fruit

    developing fruit

  • plant habit, early fall

    plant habit, early fall

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • foliage, fall

    foliage, fall

  • leaf, fall

    leaf, fall

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark

  • winter twig

    winter twig