Green Ash

(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

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Estimated Native Range
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Summary

Fraxinus pennsylvanica, commonly known as Green Ash, is a deciduous tree native to riparian zones, floodplains, and wetlands of the Eastern U.S., Midwest, and Canada. It is a medium-sized tree that can reach 12–25 meters (39–82 feet) in height with a trunk up to 60 centimeters (24 inches) in diameter. The bark is smooth and gray on young trees, becoming thick and fissured with age. Winter buds are reddish-brown and velvety. The foliage is broad with leaves that are green on both sides, turning golden-yellow in autumn, sometimes as early as the first week of September. Flowers are produced in spring, simultaneously with the new leaves, in compact panicles; they are inconspicuous, lacking petals, and wind-pollinated.

Green Ash is valued for its adaptability, good form, and resistance to disease, making it a popular choice for urban planting, as a shade tree, or as a windbreak. It thrives in full sun and is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, including wet soils, but prefers those with fast, medium, or slow drainage. While it is widely planted, it is potentially invasive outside its native range and can displace native vegetation. Care should be taken to ensure it does not become a problem in non-native ecosystems.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

  • Plant Type: Tree
  • Height: 50-70 feet
  • Width: 35-50 feet
  • Growth Rate: Rapid
  • Flower Color: N/A
  • Flowering Season: Spring
  • Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

  • Sun: Full Sun
  • Water: Medium
  • Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Fire Resistant, Rabbit Resistant, Salt Tolerant

Natural Habitat

Native to riparian zones, floodplains, and wetlands of the Eastern U.S., Midwest, parts of Mexico, and Western Canada

Other Names

Common Names: Downy Ash, Northern Red Ash, Red Ash, Pennsylvanische Esche, Frêne De Pennsylvanie, Frêne Rouge, Pennsylvaanse Es, Rödask, 붉은물푸레

Scientific Names: , Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. lanceolata, Fraxinus smallii, Fraxinus lanceolata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. pennsylvanica, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. campestris, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. austinii, Fraxinus pennsylvanica subsp. subintegerrima

GBIF Accepted Name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall