# Oregon Ash (*fraxinus latifolia*) The Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia) is a prominent deciduous tree native to the riparian zones of western North America. This species plays a crucial ecological role in its habitat, providing essential shade, bank stabilization, and wildlife habitat along streams and rivers. Known for its robust growth and adaptability to wet conditions, it is a key component of floodplain forests and contributes significantly to the biodiversity of these sensitive ecosystems. Its presence often indicates a healthy wetland environment, making it a valuable indicator species for riparian health. Historically, its strong, elastic wood has been utilized by indigenous peoples and early settlers for various purposes. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Found primarily in wet, riparian habitats such as floodplains, stream banks, river bottoms, and moist forest edges. ![Oregon Ash](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/475505/medium.jpg) Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/475505) ## Appearance Oregon Ash trees typically grow to heights of 15 to 25 meters, featuring a relatively open, rounded crown. The bark is gray-brown, becoming furrowed with age. Its leaves are oppositely arranged and pinnately compound, consisting of 5 to 9 (usually 7) ovate to elliptical leaflets, each 6-12 cm long, with finely serrated margins and a smooth to slightly hairy underside. Inconspicuous greenish flowers appear in clusters before the leaves emerge in spring, followed by distinctive winged fruits called samaras. These samaras are paddle-shaped, 3-5 cm long, and mature to a light brown in late summer or fall, facilitating wind dispersal. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Oleaceae - **Genus:** Fraxinus ## Interesting facts - It is the only ash species native to the low-elevation regions of the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascade Range. - Its presence is often a good indicator of consistently moist soil conditions, making it a valuable species for identifying wetland areas. - Oregon Ash plays a vital role in maintaining the health of riparian ecosystems by stabilizing soil, preventing erosion, and filtering water. - The wood of Oregon Ash is known for its strength, flexibility, and shock resistance, making it suitable for tool handles and sporting goods. ## Special abilities - **Flood Tolerance:** Oregon Ash is well-adapted to saturated soils and periodic flooding, thriving in conditions that many other tree species cannot tolerate. Its root system can withstand prolonged waterlogging. - **Rapid Colonization:** This species exhibits a relatively fast growth rate, allowing it to quickly establish and colonize disturbed riparian areas. This helps in ecosystem recovery and bank stabilization. - **Wind-Dispersed Seeds:** The distinctive winged samara fruits are efficiently carried by wind and water, enabling effective seed dispersal over broad areas, particularly along flowing waterways, ensuring reproduction and spread. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 1500-2500 cm - **Weight:** 500-2000 kg - **Lifespan:** 80-150 years ## Diet & Feeding As a tree, the Oregon Ash is an autotroph, producing its own food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. It also absorbs essential nutrients from the soil. - **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Water, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Compounds, Phosphorus, Potassium - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Host plant:** Ash Sphinx Moth (*Sphinx chersis*) — Host plant for larvae of various moths. - **Eaten by:** Black-tailed Deer (*Odocoileus hemionus columbianus*) — Leaves and twigs are a food source for browsing herbivores. - **Habitat:** [Western Tanager](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-tanager) (*Piranga ludoviciana*) — Provides nesting sites and perches for birds. - **Parasite:** Ash Leaf Curl Aphid (*Prociphilus fraxinifolii*) — A common pest that causes distortion and curling of ash leaves. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Oregon Ash? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Oregon Ash? 1500-2500 cm ### How much does Oregon Ash weigh? 500-2000 kg ### How long does Oregon Ash live? 80-150 years ### What does Oregon Ash eat? As a tree, the Oregon Ash is an autotroph, producing its own food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. It also absorbs essential nutrients from the soil. ### Where is Oregon Ash usually found? Found primarily in wet, riparian habitats such as floodplains, stream banks, river bottoms, and moist forest edges. ### How does Oregon Ash hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Oregon Ash: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oregon-ash)