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
Updated: October 06, 2021
Published: July 18, 2014