# velvet ash (*Fraxinus velutina*)

The velvet ash is a beautiful tree with soft, velvety leaves. It grows tall and provides shade and homes for many animals. Its unique bark is smooth and gray, making it easy to spot!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Forests

![velvet ash](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Fraxinus-velutina-20080402.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Miwasatoshi, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fraxinus-velutina-20080402.JPG)

## Appearance

The velvet ash has distinctive twigs and leaf undersides covered in soft, fine hairs, giving it a velvety feel. Its compound leaves are bright green, turning brilliant yellow in fall, while the bark is furrowed gray and often develops diamond patterns.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Oleaceae
- **Genus:** Fraxinus

## Interesting facts

- In autumn, its leaves transform into a dazzling display of brilliant yellow, like sunshine!
- Its tough wood was once used to make strong tools and even parts for wagon wheels!
- Many desert creatures rely on its leaves and seeds for food and comforting shade.
- This amazing tree can live for over 100 years, watching many generations pass by!

## Special abilities

- **Drought Warrior:** Velvet ash can survive long dry periods, thanks to its deep root system that helps it find water far underground.
- **Sun Shield:** This tree has special fuzzy leaves that help it reduce water loss and protect itself from intense desert sun.
- **Quick Sprouter:** Velvet ash grows quickly, allowing it to rapidly establish itself and start providing valuable shade and habitat.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 600-1500 cm
- **Spread:** 600-1200 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Emerald Ash Borer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/emerald-ash-borer) (*Agrilus planipennis*) — Larvae tunnel under bark, disrupting water and nutrient flow.
- **Shelter:** [Western Bluebird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-bluebird) (*Sialia mexicana*) — Provides nesting sites and perches for various songbirds.
- **Shelter:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Tall branches offer ideal perching and nesting spots for raptors.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Stay on paths when exploring near trees and watch for falling branches.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify velvet 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 tall is velvet ash?

600-1500 cm

### How wide does velvet ash spread?

600-1200 cm

### When does velvet ash bloom?

Spring

### Is velvet ash edible?

No

### Is velvet ash toxic?

None

### What is velvet ash's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is velvet ash pollinated?

Wind

## Where to spot

- [Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/red-rock-canyon-national-conservation-area) — Nevada, US · Nature Reserve

## 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*)

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Source: [Velvet Ash: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/velvet-ash)