Green/red ash
Scientific name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica
What it looks like
This small to medium-sized tree grows quickly. Five to nine long, oval leaflets grow on a central stalk. Leaves are yellowish-green, turning yellowish-brown in the fall. Leaflets tend to fall individually. This ash’s bark is greyish-brown and it has small winged fruit.
Where it is found
Green ash trees grow across southern and central Ontario, as far north as the Ontario-Minnesota border and the north coast of Georgian Bay, east to the North Bay region.
This ash is popular as a shade tree in residential areas and was widely planted because of its good form although the Emerald Ash Borer is currently threatening the species across its entire range.
Planting Tips
- Size: Up to 25 metres tall
- Moisture: can tolerate moist and seasonally temporarily flooded sites
- Shade: moderately shade tolerant
- Soil: prefers rich soils
When planting, you need to dig a large enough hole for the root to grow rapidly without too much strain. If you are digging in clay soil, the hole will need to be at least 6 times the width of the root ball.
Did you know?
The green ash’s abundant seed crops are a source of food for many kinds of wildlife.
Image credits
- Tree: Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources
- Leaf: Ministry of Natural Resources
- Bark: Ministry of Natural Resources
- Seed: Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources