You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:
Cancel
Plant text area:
'''''Fraxinus excelsior''''' ('''Ash'''; also '''European Ash''' or '''Common Ash''' on occasion to distinguish it from other ash species), is a species of ''[[Fraxinus]]'' native to most of [[Europe]].<ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.</ref><ref name=dvf>Den virtuella floran: [http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/olea/fraxi/fraxexcv.jpg ''Fraxinus excelsior'' distribution]</ref> [[Image:Ash flower.JPG|thumb|left|Male flowers]] It is a large [[deciduous]] [[tree]] growing to 20–35 m (exceptionally to 46 m) tall with a trunk up to 2 m (exceptionally to 3.5 m) diameter, with a tall, domed crown. The [[bark]] is smooth and pale grey on young trees, becoming thick and vertically fissured on old trees. The shoots are stout, greenish-grey, with jet black [[bud]]s. The [[leaf|leaves]] are 20–35 cm long, pinnate compound, with 7-13 [[leaflets]], the leaflets 3–12 cm long and 0.8–3 cm broad, sessile on the leaf rachis, and with a serrated margin. The leaves are often among the last to open in spring, and the first to fall in autumn if an early frost strikes; they have no marked autumn colour, often falling dull green. The [[flower]]s open before the leaves, the female flowers being somewhat longer than the male flowers; they are dark purple, and without petals, and are wind-pollinated. Both male and female flowers can occur on the same tree, but it is more common to find all male and all female trees; a tree that is all male one year can produce female flowers the next, and similarly a female tree can become male. The [[fruit]] is a [[samara (fruit)|samara]] 2.5-4.5 cm long and 5–8 mm broad, often hanging in bunches through the winter; they are often called 'ash keys'.<ref name=rushforth/><ref name=afm>Mitchell, A. F. (1974). ''A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe''. Collins ISBN 0-00-212035-6</ref><ref name=afm1>Mitchell, A. F. (1982). ''The Trees of Britain and Northern Europe''. Collins ISBN 0-00-219037-0</ref> Trees rarely exceed 250 years old. However, there are numerous ones estimated between 200 and 250 years old and there are a couple over 250. The largest is in [[Clapton Court]], [[England]] and is 9 m (29 ft) in girth. There are several examples over 4.5 metres (15 feet) in [[Derbyshire]] alone. It is readily distinguished from other species of ash in that it has black buds, unlike the brown or grey buds of most other ashes. {{Inc| <!--- ******************************************************* --> Fraxinus excelsior, Linn. Fig. 1577. Tall tree, to 120 ft.: lfts. 9-13, almost sessile, oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, serrate, dark green above, paler beneath, 2-5 in. long: fr. oblong, often emarginate, about 1 ½ in. long. Eu., W. Asia. H.W. 3:59, pp. 115, 116. Gn. 22, p. 273. F.E. 24:395. Many different varieties are cult., some of the most distinct being the following: Var. albo-marginata, Hort. Lfts. edged white. Var. argentea, Loud. (var. albo-variegata, Hort.). Lfts. blotched white. Var. lutea, Loud. Lvs.. variegated with yellow. Var. jaspidea, Desf. Bark of the young branches striped pinkish white. Var. aurea, Pers. With yellow branches. Var. Aurea-pendula, Loud. With pendulous yellow branches, but a somewhat weak grower. Var. erosa, Willd. (Var. asplenifolia, Kirchn. Var. laciniata, Hort. Var. elegantissima, Hort. Var. scolopendrifolia,Hort.). Lfts. very narrow, incisely serrate and often almost linear. Var. crispa, Willd. (Var. atrovirens, Var. cucullata, Hort.), with very dark green curled and twisted lvs.; of slow growth. Var. diversifolia, Ait. (F. heterophylla, Vahl. F. sim-plicifolia laciniata, Hort. F. riifa, Hort., not Bosc). Lvs. simple or 3-parted, usually incisely dentate. Gn. 22, p. 273. Var. monophylla, Kuntze (F_. monophylla, Desf. F. simplicifolia, Willd.). Lvs. simple, ovate, serrate, rarely with 1 or 2 small lfts. at the base. Var. nana, Loud. (Var. polemoniifblia, Var. globbsa, Hort.). A compact, slow-growing, dwarf form with very small lvs. M.D.G. 1904:380. Var. pendula, Ait. With pendulous branches. One of the best pendulous trees for forming arbors and shady seats. Gn. 39, p, 451; 68, p. 400. {{SCH}} }} ==Cultivation== {{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Propagation=== {{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Pests and diseases=== {{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ==Varieties== Cultivars: [[File:Ash mast at Eglinton.JPG|right|thumb|250px|<center>Ash saplings from a [[mast year]].]] There are a number of [[cultivar]]s including; *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Aurea', see 'Jaspidea' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Aurea Pendula' (Weeping Golden Ash) *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Autumn Blaze' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Autumn Purple' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Crispa' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Diversifolia' (One-leaved Ash) *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Erosa' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Jaspidea' (Golden Ash) *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Monophylla' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Nana' *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Pendula' (Weeping Ash), one of the best known cultivars, widely planted during the [[Victorian era]], it grows vigorously forming an attractive small to medium size tree with mounds of weeping branches. *''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Skyline'. ==Gallery== {{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery --> <gallery> Image:Le Roeulx AR9JPG.jpg|Tree 46 m tall, Château des princes de Croÿ, Le Roeulx, [[Belgium]]. Image:EuropeanAsh.jpg|Old tree, [[Norway]]. Image:EurAshLeaf.jpg|Leaf and shoot, showing black bud. Image:Fraxinus excelsior 'Pendula'.JPG|Weeping Ash ''Fraxinus excelsior'' 'Pendula', [[Knightshayes Court]], [[England]]. </gallery> ==References== *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963 <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 --> <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 --> <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 --> ==External links== *{{wplink}} {{stub}} __NOTOC__
Summary:
This is a minor edit Watch this page