Ash | Description, Uses, Diseases, Pests, & Major Species (2024)

ash, (genus Fraxinus), genus of 45–65 species of trees or shrubs (family Oleaceae) primarily distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Several species are valuable for their timber and beauty. A few species extend into the tropical forests of Mexico and Java.

Physical description

Most ash trees are small to medium in height, though some of the larger timber-providing species grow to 18–34 metres (60–120 feet). The leaves of ash trees are opposite, usually deciduous, and pinnately compound with an odd number of leaflets, often five to nine. The narrow fruits, called samaras, are one-seeded and winged. The flowers usually are small and grow in showy clusters, and some species have petaled blooms.

Pests and diseases

Ash trees are susceptible to a number of pests and diseases. The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), a beetle introduced into eastern and central North America in the 1990s, probably embedded in shipping materials from eastern Asia,has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of ash trees. In 2022 the pest was reported on the West Coast for the first time, having been found in a grove in Oregon. Similarly, the United Kingdom has experienced many ash tree deaths due to the rapid spread of ash dieback disease (caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea). In addition to these catastrophic maladies, ash trees are also susceptible to anthracnose, yellows, and rust.

Major species

Eighteen species of ash are found in the United States, several of which are valued for their timber. The most important of these are the white ash (Fraxinus americana) and the green ash (F. pennsylvanica), which grow throughout the eastern and much of the central United States and northward into parts of Canada. These two species furnish wood that is stiff, strong, resilient, and yet lightweight. This “white ash” is used for baseball bats, hockey sticks, paddles and oars, tennis and other racket frames, and the handles of shovels, spades, hoes, rakes, and other agricultural tools.

The black ash (F. nigra) of eastern North America, the blue ash (F. quadrangulata) of the Midwest, and the Oregon ash (F. latifolia) of the Pacific Northwest furnish wood of comparable quality that is used for furniture, interior paneling, and barrels, among other purposes. The Mexican ash (F. uhdei), a broad-crowned tree that is widely planted along the streets of Mexico City, reaches a height of 18 metres (59 feet), and has leaves with five to nine leaflets.

The European ash (F. excelsior), with 7 to 11 leaflets, is a timber tree of wide distribution throughout Europe. A number of its varieties have been cultivated and used in landscaping for centuries. Notable among these are forms with dwarflike or weeping habits, variegated foliage, warty twigs and branches, and curled leaves.

The flowering ash (F. ornus) of southern Europe produces creamy white fragrant flowers, has leaves with seven leaflets, and reaches 21 metres (69 feet). The Chinese ash (F. chinensis) yields Chinese white wax.