Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood'
Common name: 
Raywood Ash
Claret Ash
Pronunciation: 
FRAKS-i-nus oks-i-KAR-pa
Family: 
Oleaceae
Genus: 
Synonyms: 
F. angustifolia ‘Raywood’
F. angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa 'Raywood'
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous tree, 30-40(80) ft [9-12(24) m], narrow when young.  Leaves opposite, but often whorls of 3 or 4 at ends of branches, pinnately compound, 7-9 narrow leaflets, each 4-6.5 cm long, clean-looking, dark green, good fall color (rich red-purple), but variable.  More or less a male clone, hence very few seed produced.  But female flowers and subsequently seeds are formed on some trees every year.  Most male flowers appear in winter in Corvallis (Jan.-Feb.) and the uncommon female flowers a month or more later.
  • Sun, some drought tolerance.  Prone to toppling.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 5     Species native to southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus.  F. oxycarpa is closely allied with F. angustifolia, and some authorities list is as a subspecies (F. angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa).  However, others do not consider the differences between F. angustifolia and the oxycarpa form (hairlessness and leaflet number) sufficient to justify a subspecific identity, hence the oxycarpa form is "lumped" into F. angustifolia.  And thus this selection is considered F. angustifolia ‘Raywood’.
  • 'Raywood' was selected in Australia in about 1910, and in the British nursery trade by 1928.   It was not introduced into North America until about 1956, and not in large scale commerce until about 1979 (Jacobson, 1996).  ‘Flame’ and ‘Dr. Pirone’ are very similar, if not identical.
  • oxycarpa: with pointed fruits
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: east side of parking lot south of Crop Science, along 30th St.
Click image to enlarge
  • opening male flower buds, early spring

    opening male flower buds, early spring

  • row of trees, summer

    row of trees, summer

  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • canopy, open

    canopy, open

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leafy shoot

    leafy shoot

  • fruit clusters

    fruit clusters

  • row of trees, fall

    row of trees, fall

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • foliage and leaf, fall

    foliage and leaf, fall

  • leaves, fall

    leaves, fall

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark

  • dormant twig, buds

    dormant twig, buds