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Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) [ Trees > Hardwoods > Ashes . . . ] Forest Types: Oak-Hickory, Beech-Maple, So. Riverine, Appalachian Cove
by Michael Kuo Habitat: Varied; surviving well in several different forest types; fond of moist soil, but able to survive elsewhere; growing east of the Great Plains. Stature: 30-60 feet high; to 2 feet in diameter; with a spreading, irregular crown. Leaves: Compound; composed of 7-9 leaflets arranged more or less in pairs, with a single leaflet at the end; leaflets dark yellow-green above and paler green below, candle-flame-shaped; edges slightly toothed or nearly smooth; stemlets to 1/4 inch long. Bark: Dark grayish; deeply cut into X shapes (or "diamond" shapes, depending on your perspective). Fruit: A small samara or "wing" 1-2 inches long; hanging in dense clusters; the hard, seed part extending well into the flat, wing part (see below). Green ash is nearly identical to white ash, and a suite of subtle characters must be used to separate the two trees. In theory the leaves of white ash have a more whitish underside, but this character is unreliable in my experience. The stature of the two trees is usually (but not always) distinctive; the branches of green ash tend to spread outward somewhat more. The samaras of the two trees are usually different: the hard, seed part extends more into the flat, wing part in green ash than in white ash:
. . . but the leaf scars on twigs seem to me to be the most reliable character for comparison. The white ash leaf scar is generally larger, more puckered looking, and more U-shaped:
When samaras, twigs, leaves, and stature are considered together it is usually possible to make an identification--but the features do seem to intergrade between the species sometimes, making precise identification difficult. Some authors emphasize the extent of the serrations on the leaflets, but I find this character unreliable. Frequently Associated Mushrooms: Gyrodon merulioides is exclusive to ash. Black morels and yellow morels are frequently found under ash. Perenniporia fraxinophila is an ash-loving parasite that causes severe heart rot. |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2012, January). Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/trees/fraxinus_pennsylvanica.html |