WHITE ASH

Fraxinus americana

Height: 60-80'
Width: 20-50'
Hardiness Zone: 4
Exposure: sun
Origin: Eastern United States

Description:

White Ash is a large shade tree with an upright-oval form. It develops a rounded crown with a very symmetric branching pattern. The gray bark is smooth when young and develops a diamond-shaped ridge pattern on mature trunks. White Ash has pinnately compound leaves with 5-9 (usually 7) leaflets. The leaves are dark green with a lighter underside. White Ash often develops outstanding fall foliage color ranging from yellow and orange to red-maroon-purple. Like other ashes, White Ash is dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants). Both types of flowers are inconspicuous when they bloom in spring. The fruit that develops on female trees is a winged samara.

Site and Cultural Requirements:

White Ash prefers a rich, well drained soil and ample soil moisture. It is adaptable to a wide range of soil pH. White Ash is fairly salt tolerant. Though generally considered hardy in Zone 4, vigorously growing young White Ash trees sometimes suffer severe winter injury because bark tissues on the trunks tend to harden off very late in the season. To help prevent this problem, don’t overfertilize or otherwise encourage excessively rapid growth on young trees.

Insect/Disease Issues:

White Ash is susceptible to ash yellows, a serious disease complex that is becoming more common. Ash borers can be damaging, especially when the tree is stressed. A mite can cause ash flower gall on male flowers, which is unattractive but not seriously damaging to the plant.

Cultivars:

‘Autumn Applause’ – oval form, densely branched; good red-maroon fall color; somewhat less hardy (zone 4b-5)

'Autumn Blaze'-oval crown; good purple fall color. Winter hardy in zone 3b.

Autumn Purple® (‘Junginger”) – round-oval crown; excellent maroon to purple fall color.

Northern Blaze™ (‘Jeffnor’) – upright-oval form; winter hardy to zone 3.

Skyline® (‘Skycole’) -symmetrical oval form; glossy green leaves turn red-orange.

Windy City™ (‘Tures’) – oval-rounded form; burgundy-orange-yellow fall color

We would like to thank the Landscape Plant Development Center and MNLA for the botanical information and photos.

 

Open 9:00 AM until Sunset
Closed Mondays, open holidays
Phone: (515)-992-4211
Email: info@thebrentonarboretum.org