Ash tree

Ash
Closeup of ash tree leaves and seeds
Ash tree leaves and seeds. Photo ©2004 S. Sweeney Monday Garden
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Scrophulariales Family: Oleaceae * Genus: Fraxinus
Species
Fraxinus americana -- white ash   Fraxinus angustifolia -- narrowleaf ash   Fraxinus anomala -- single-leaf ash   Fraxinus apertisquamifera   Fraxinus caroliniana -- water ash   Fraxinus cuspidata -- fragrant ash   Fraxinus dipetala -- two-petal ash   Fraxinus dubia   Fraxinus excelsior -- common ash   Fraxinus baroniana   Fraxinus bungeana -- Bunge ash   Fraxinus chinensis -- Chinese ash   Fraxinus chiisanensis   Fraxinus floribunda   Fraxinus gooddingii -- Goodding's ash   Fraxinus greggii -- Gregg's ash   Fraxinus griffithii   Fraxinus holotricha   Fraxinus hubeiensis   Fraxinus lanuginosa   Fraxinus latifolia -- Oregon ash   Fraxinus longicuspis -- Japanese ash   Fraxinus malacophylla   Fraxinus mandshurica -- Manchurian ash   Fraxinus micrantha   Fraxinus nigra -- black ash   Fraxinus ornus -- flowering ash   Fraxinus papillosa -- Chihuahua ash   Fraxinus paxiana   Fraxinus pennsylvanica -- green ash   Fraxinus platypoda   Fraxinus profunda -- pumpkin ash   Fraxinus purpusii   Fraxinus quadrangulata -- blue ash   Fraxinus raibocarpa   Fraxinus rufescens   Fraxinus uhdei -- Shamel ash   Fraxinus sieboldiana -- Chinese         flowering ash   Fraxinus spaethiana   Fraxinus trifoliata   Fraxinus velutina -- velvet ash   Fraxinus xanthoxyloides -- Afghan ash
*Some botanists include the Oleaceae in the order Lamiales.

Ash is the name of three very distinct group of trees. In America and Europe, "ash" generally refers to trees of the Genus Fraxinus. "Ash" may also refer to the mountain ash, more accurately known as the Rowan, Genus Sorbus. In Australia, "mountain ash" refers to a type of eucalyptus, Eucalyptus regnans, one of the tallest trees in the world.

The Genus Fraxinus is in the olive family (Family Oleaceae). Ashes are usually medium to large trees. Most have pinnately-compound, opposite leaves. Seeds are borne in keys, a type of fruit known as a samara.

The white ash is a particularly important timber tree in eastern North America, and is the source of wood for quality wooden baseball bats. The green ash is widely planted as a street tree in the United States. The inner bark of the blue ash has been used as a source for a blue dye.

Table of contents

1 Ashes of eastern North America 2 Ashes of western and southwestern North America 3 Ashes of the Western Palearctic (Europe, north Africa and southwest Asia) 4 Ashes of the Eastern Palearctic (central & eastern Asia) 5 Cultural aspects

Ashes of eastern North America

• Fraxinus americana -- White ash
• Fraxinus caroliniana -- Water ash
• Fraxinus nigra -- Black ash
• Fraxinus pennsylvanica -- Green ash (including red ash)
• Fraxinus profunda -- Pumpkin ash (aka Fraxinus tomentosa)
• Fraxinus quadrangulata -- Blue ash

Ashes of western and southwestern North America

• Fraxinus anomala -- Single-leaf ash
• Fraxinus cuspidata -- Fragrant ash
• Fraxinus dipetala -- Two-petal ash
• Fraxinus dubia -- ash
• Fraxinus gooddingii -- Goodding's ash
• Fraxinus greggii -- Gregg's ash
• Fraxinus latifolia -- Oregon ash
• Fraxinus papillosa -- Chihuahua ash
• Fraxinus purpusii -- ash
• Fraxinus rufescens -- ash
• Fraxinus texensis -- Mountain ash or Texas ash
• Fraxinus uhdei -- Shamel ash
• Fraxinus velutina -- Velvet ash

Ashes of the Western Palearctic (Europe, north Africa and southwest Asia)

• Fraxinus angustifolia -- Narrow-leafed ash
• Fraxinus excelsior -- Common ash
• Fraxinus holotricha -- ash
• Fraxinus ornus -- Manna ash or Flowering ash
• Fraxinus oxycarpa (F. angustifolia var. oxycarpa) -- Caucasian ash
• Fraxinus pallisiae -- Pallis' ash
• Fraxinus xanthoxyloides -- Afghan ash

Ashes of the Eastern Palearctic (central & eastern Asia)

• Fraxinus apertisquamifera -- ash
• Fraxinus baroniana -- ash
• Fraxinus bungeana -- Bunge's ash
• Fraxinus chinensis -- Chinese ash (or Korean ash)
• Fraxinus chiisanensis -- ash
• Fraxinus floribunda -- Himalayan manna ash
• Fraxinus griffithii -- Griffith's ash
• Fraxinus hubeiensis -- ash
• Fraxinus lanuginosa -- ash
• Fraxinus longicuspis -- Japanese ash
• Fraxinus malacophylla -- ash
• Fraxinus mandshurica -- Manchurian ash
• Fraxinus mariesii -- Chinese flowering ash
• Fraxinus micrantha -- ash
• Fraxinus paxiana -- ash
• Fraxinus platypoda -- ash
• Fraxinus raibocarpa -- ash
• Fraxinus sieboldiana -- Japanese flowering ash
• Fraxinus spaethiana -- Späth's ash
• Fraxinus trifoliata -- ash

Cultural aspects

In Norse mythology, the World Tree, Yggdrasil, was an ash tree, and the man, Ask, was formed from an ash tree (the first woman was made from alder). Elsewhere in Europe, snakes were said to be repelled by ash leaves or a circle drawn by an ash branch. Irish folklore claims that shadows from an ash tree damage crops. In Cheshire, it is said that ash could be used to cure warts or rickets.

See also; Trees of Britain, Trees of the world