ExploreTree

Common Ash

Fraxinus excelsior

The Common Ash tree has lovely green leaves and grows tall and strong. In winter, it can be spotted easily because it loses its leaves!

Habitat: Woodlands and riverbanks

Appearance

The Common Ash is a tall, graceful tree with a broad, rounded crown. It has distinctive black, velvety buds in winter. Its compound leaves feature 9-13 dark green leaflets, and its gray bark develops deep fissures with age.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyOleaceaeGenusFraxinus

Common Ash

Interesting facts

Ancient Celts believed it had healing powers and could protect against lightning.

Common Ash is one of the very last trees to sprout leaves in the spring.

Its incredibly tough and flexible wood was once used to build medieval chariot wheels!

Norse mythology describes the massive world-tree Yggdrasil as a giant Ash!

Special abilities

Common Ash can grow quickly, helping it reach sunlight faster than competitors.

Common Ash has lightweight, winged seeds that are carried far by the wind to find new places to grow.

Common Ash has incredibly tough yet flexible wood, helping it bend and withstand strong winds without breaking.

Common Ash can thrive in many different soil types, helping it adapt to various habitats.

Measurements & details

Height: 20-40 m
Canopy Spread: 8-15 m
Is Edible: No
Trunk Diameter: 50-200 cm
Lifespan: 200-300 years
Fruit Type: Samara
Growth Rate: Medium
Leaf Type: Deciduous

Ecological connections

parasitizes

Ash Dieback fungus

Hymenoscyphus fraxineus

causes a devastating disease that kills ash trees

eats

Great Capricorn Beetle

Cerambyx cerdo

larvae bore into and feed on ash wood

eats

Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

feeds on the winged seeds (ash keys) of the tree

eats

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

eats the nutritious seeds from ash trees

Traits

Deciduous

Discover the magic of plants that shed all their leaves during a particular season, often putting on a spectacular show of fall colors first. They get ready for a fresh start!

Broadleaf Tree

Discover magnificent trees that have wide, flat leaves, unlike the needles of pine trees! These are often the trees that change colors beautifully in autumn.

Fruit Bearing

These amazing plants develop fruits, which often contain seeds and are sometimes delicious treats for us or wildlife. They're nature's way of spreading new life!

Rapid Growing

Watch these energetic plants grow super fast, quickly transforming spaces and adding lush greenery in a blink of an eye!

Timber

Discover how people use wood from trees to build amazing things, from houses to furniture! It's an important natural resource that helps us every day.

Forest

These lush habitats are filled with countless trees, offering homes to a huge variety of plants and animals! Immerse yourself in the green canopy.

Longevous

Marvel at organisms that have an incredible capacity to live for a very, very long time, sometimes spanning centuries or even millennia. They are the elders of the natural world!