Landowner Fact Sheets

green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica play

Green ash is the most widely distributed of North American ashes. Found growing naturally in moist bottomlands and along stream banks, it has proven itself capable of tolerating a wider range of environments, and is planted widely.

range map Click to see more images. fall color wood grain

Light
Green ash is intermediate in shade tolerance and can be regenerated by clearcut, group selection, shelterwood, and seed-tree methods. Green ash regenerates from stump sprouts, too.

Water
Green ash is normally a bottomland or streamside tree that can establish and persist on a wide variety of soils.

Growth

Size
A medium sized tree to 70 feet tall with a poorly formed bole and an irregular to round crown.

Timber Value
Green ash's durable wood is marketed and used similarly to white ash. Green ash is used for tool handles, baseball bats, rough lumber, pulpwood, veneer, crates, boxes, etc.

Wildlife Value
Green ash woodlands are especially important for wildlife communities in the northern Great Plains. Seeds are eaten by a variety of species. Deer browse green ash twigs and foliage.
Attracts birds, rabbits, deer, squirrels, sharptail grouse

Insects and Diseases

Fun Facts
The wood is used for a variety of products. Green ash is popularly used as a shade tree in urban areas because of its pleasing form, good tolerance to an array of conditions, and its lack of serious insect and disease problems. However, the insect emerald ash borer is becoming a serious concern and many people are no longer recommending ash for planting. It is a common shelterbelt tree in the Great Plains states.

Latin Meaning
Fraxinus: the Latin name / pennsylvanica: of Pennsylvania

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Landowner Factsheets © 2004 Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming by: Dr. Jeff Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen, Guy Phillips, or Andrew S. Meeks.