Fraxinus pennsylvanica - (image 1 of 7)
Taxonomy
Family: Oleaceae
Habitat
Frequent in woods, usually not far from water.
Associates
Common in bottomland forests, often mixed with Acer saccharinum, Populus deltoides, and Salix ssp. Can withstand inundation with water for long periods of time.
Distribution
Morphology
Medium tree with a variable shape. Leaves opposite, pinnate compound, 5-9 leaflets, paler beneath, often serrate, the lateral leaflets cuneate at the base to winged petioles, or distinct petioles absent. Branchlets densely pubescent.
Notes
Flowers early April to mid May
Wetland indicator: Facultative wetland
Green Ash, F. pennsylvanica Marsh. var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern., has glabrous branchlets and tends to be more weedy than Red Ash. Fall color sometimes poor in the Midwest but in the northeast usually a clear and beautiful yellow. This and honey locust are probably the two most overused trees for street planting. The fecundity of this species is very high.
Bibliography
Farrar, J. L. 1995. Trees of the Northern United States and Canada.
Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
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Michael Hough © 2004 |