Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Scrophulariales>Oleaceae>Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Green Ash is a fairly common overstory tree of riversides and other wet habitats. Similar to White Ash (Fraxinus americana), which is more common and occurs in a wider variety of habitats, but the leaves are not glaucous (whitish) beneath.

Durham Co., NC 9/6/08.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

The wings on the samaras (fruits) extend slightly farther along the seed than in White Ash.

Durham Co., NC 9/6/08.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

The leaves are paler beneath, but green, not whitish. The easiest way to tell the species apart is to look at the leaf scars -- in Green Ash the lateral bud is above the leaf scar; in White Ash the bud sits within the U-shaped scar. However, this difference is not always consistent -- I've seen a vigorously growing White Ash with nearly flat leaf scars, not embracing the bud.

Several varieties of this variable species have been described, but they're not usually recognized as valid.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) samaras

Durham Co., NC 6/8/03.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) male flowers

The male flowers are in bizarre dark brown clusters.

Chapel Hill, NC 5/6/06.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) bark

Bark of a medium-sized tree. The bark is less ridged than that of White Ash.

Durham, NC 9/11/08.

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) bark

Orange Co., NC 5/7/2011.

More information:
Trees of Alabama and the Southeast
US Forest Service Silvics Manual
Virginia Tech Dendrology

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