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 and symmetric branching pattern. 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. Fall foliage-color is yellow or bronze. Inflourescense is a ____________. Like other ashes, white ash is dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants). Green or purple flowers are inconspicuous when they bloom in spring. Fruit is a winged samara.

Site and Cultural Requirements:

White Ash is a natural indicator of early and secondary succession. In Midwestern states, trees frequently establish on slopes along stream banks. Trees grow well in deep, well-drained, moist soils. It is adapted to a wide range of soil pH and is somewhat salt tolerant. Trees are hardy to Zone 4. However, vigorously growing, young trees can suffer severe winter injury as bark tissues harden off late in the season. To promote earlier cold acclimation and dormancy,fertilize young trees sparingly. Escessive fertigation can encourage rapid growth suseptible to winter injury.

Insect/Disease Issues:

White ash is susceptible to ash yellows, a serious disease complex that is becoming more common. Trees stressed by air pollution or stress may be more suseptible to the disease caused by this mycoplasma. Ash borers can also be damaging, especially when the tree is stressed. Mites 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 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