Ash



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Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Irish Fuinnseog (Family - Oleaceae)

Description: Magnificent large deciduous tree with distinctive black buds in spring. Can be coppiced. Height 45m. Age up to 200 years.

Where found: Mostly calcerous soils although found on all except poorest and acid soils (above ph 5.5). Prefers moist but well drained fertile soils. Up to 450m in altitude. Grows well in mixed stands provided not shaded. Natural distribution throughout British Isles and Europe into Asia Minor and Caucuses. Rare north of Great Glen in Scotland.

Phenology timeline:

Flowers	Leaves	Fruit	Ripen	Fall
April	May	June	October	Sept

Uses past & present: Pale creamy wood that is strong and elastic. Uses of wood - Hockey sticks, oars, paddles, rudders, billiard cues, cricket stumps, polo sticks and policemen's
truncheons. Also used for veneer and furniture.
Burns fragrantly when green or dried due to low
water content even when green (30 - 35%) but
seasoning (to 15% water) does improve
efficiency.

Propagation and Growth: Grow from seed - deeply dormant - treat as per Acer campestre. Long thin brown seeds approx 2.5cm long. Approx 8000 germinable seeds per kg. Seeds form in large sprays. If planted green seeds may germinate following spring or even straight away whereas brown seeds will germinate the second spring after planting. Grows quickly to 20 - 40 years old but growth stops at 60 years.

Characteristic black bud of
Ash in April

image of an Ash leaf.

Ash leaf