ExploreTree

White Ash

Fraxinus americana

The White Ash is a tall tree with bright green leaves. In fall, its leaves can turn a beautiful purple or yellow!

Habitat: Forests and parks

Appearance

The White Ash has distinctive greyish-brown bark with deep, intersecting ridges forming diamond patterns. Its compound leaves have 5-9 oval, dark green leaflets, turning beautiful yellow and purplish tones in autumn. It typically grows a straight trunk and a rounded crown.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyOleaceaeGenusFraxinus

White Ash

Interesting facts

Ancient peoples used its bendy wood to craft strong bows for hunting.

Look closely: its bark often has diamond-shaped ridges you can feel.

Most professional baseball bats are made from super-strong White Ash wood!

White Ash leaves are compound, meaning many small leaflets make one big leaf!

Special abilities

White Ash has winged seeds (samaras) that flutter and spin, helping them travel far on the wind to find new places to grow.

White Ash can withstand strong winds and impact because it has tough, elastic wood, protecting it from breaking easily.

White Ash has special pigments in its leaves that produce stunning yellow and purple colors, signaling colder weather.

Measurements & details

Height: 15-30 m
Canopy Spread: 10-15 m
Is Edible: No
Trunk Diameter: 50-150 cm
Lifespan: 100-250 years
Fruit Type: Samara
Growth Rate: Medium
Leaf Type: Deciduous

Ecological connections

parasitizes

Emerald Ash Borer

Agrilus planipennis

larvae burrow under bark, killing the tree

eats

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

browses on young ash twigs and leaves

eats

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

feeds on insect larvae found in ash bark

eaten by

Promethea Silkmoth

Callosamia promethea

caterpillars feed on its leaves

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!

Fall Color

Witness the breathtaking transformation as leaves change from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold before they fall. It's a spectacular natural art show!

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.