European Ash seeds

Habitat

native to Europe
hardy to zone 5
Habit and Form

a large deciduous tree
60′ to 80′ tall
generally wider than tall
dense rounded crown
medium texture
fast growth rate
Summer Foliage

opposite leaf arrangement
odd, pinnately compound leaves
leaves are up to 1′ long
leaves contain 7 to 11 leaflets
leaflets are ovate shaped
leaflets are 2″ to 4″ long
serrated leaf margins
pubescent
medium green leaf color
Autumn Foliage

no fall color, leaves drop green
some cultivars have yellow fall color
Flowers

greenish flowers
bloom in spring
not showy
Fruit

female plants produce samaras
samara is green and elongated
1″ to 2″ long
clustered in bunches
turn brown in winter
persist
not ornamentally important
Bark

branches low on trunk
grayish brown bark
young stems are gray and stout
Culture

full sun
soil tolerant
salt tolerant
needs regular pruning
prefers moist, deep, fertile soils for best growth
soil pH is not critical
easily transplanted and established
Landscape Use

male plants are preferred for landscape purposes
lawn tree
shade tree
difficult growing sites
excellent for parks and campuses
Liabilities

female trees produce lots of seed, leading to numerous unwanted seedlings
fruit can also be a litter problem
ash dieback (mycoplasma)
ash borers
ash flower galls (male plants) caused by a mite
ash yellows
ID Features

opposite leaves
pinnately compound leaves
female plants with paddle-shaped samaras
black, pubescent, sessile buds
twigs gray and buds brown
twigs stout
Propagation

by bud grafting
by seed
Cultivars/Varieties

Though many cultivars are recorded in the literature, they are very rarely available in this country. Our native ashes predominate in commerce.

‘Hessei’ – The most commonly available European ash, this plant grows quickly to 60′ tall with an oval-rounded habit. The leaves are simple and bear prominent marginal serrations. Testing indicates, however, a strong tendency for borer damage in this country.