Ash

Profile

Family

Oleaceae

Habit

Tree

Height

22.5 m

Spread

26 m

Growth

very fast

Lifespan

300 years

First yield

after 27 years

Hardiness

zone 5–8

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

semi-dry – near water

pH

5 – 8.5

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Unripe seeds, vegetable filling, spices, young tender leaves, hop substitute (beer), seeds, baking spice (powdered), cooking oil. The unripe seeds were bought and rid of bitterness. The vegetable filling was marinated in salt and vinegar, then seasoned with spices. The young tender leaves are edible in their raw state. The hop substitute is employed in brewing beer. The seeds serve as a powdered baking spice and are combined with cooking oil.

Medicinal: Leaves can be applied for snakebites. A combination of laxative leaves, fruit, and wood shavings in tea form is beneficial for rheumatism. Wood shavings tea is effective against syphilis. Tea derived from the bark of young branches serves as a styptic for fever. A mixture of ash and vinegar is useful for treating sprained or broken legs.

Other uses: Leaves, bark, and wood play vital roles in the tree. Leaves can be used as animal feed and for coloring. Bark contains tannin, while wood is durable and versatile, suitable for various tools and equipment. Trees offer homes to diverse animal and plant species.

Growing

Thrives in deep, rich soil, even if heavy, and can withstand exposed locations, including maritime conditions. Prefers alkaline soil but not shallow chalky soil. Tolerant of pH levels up to 4.5 but prefers alkaline soil above 5.5. Can tolerate seasonally flooded soil but dislikes root dryness, especially in late spring. Very intolerant of shade as young plants struggle to grow and often die. While the plant is cold-hardy when dormant, young spring growth is sensitive to frost, so it's best to plant in a location shielded from morning sun. A fast-growing tree, sometimes grown for valuable timber and historically pruned frequently. However, the economic value has decreased due to the modern use of plastics. Numerous cultivars have been named for their ornamental qualities. Trees have a light crown and minimal shade. Serves as a food source for many insect species, with 41 associated insect species. Trees can be male, female, monoecious, or hermaphroditic, with the ability to change sex yearly. It takes 30-40 years for trees to flower from seed, with flowers appearing on one-year-old wood. This species shows remarkable resistance to the honey fungus.

Propagation

Harvest seeds when green, fully developed but not completely dried on the tree. Sow immediately in a cold house for spring germination. Stored seeds need cold stratification, sow in a cold house promptly. Around 5% will germinate in the first year, the rest in the second. Transplant seedlings to individual pots when big enough, grow in a cold house the first winter. Plant in permanent spot or nursery bed late spring or early summer the next year. If enough seeds, sow directly in outdoor seedbed, preferably autumn. Let seedlings grow for 2 years before transplanting. Cuttings from mature wood in a protected outdoor bed in winter may root.

Notable

Special features: Floodplain, ravine, city & pollard tree, transpires a lot of water/may attack masonry, lets in a lot of sun/casts weak shade; currently major ash dieback due to fungi & co; can change sex; produces offshoots quickly; cult tree of male initiation; 2% of the German forest, Bw: 2100kWh/rm, 4.1kWh/kg; 80 years until ready for felling;

Origin & habitat

Europe, including the area south of latitude 64°, extends to North Africa and Western Asia.

Occurs in various deciduous forest types, often mixed with beech, maple, oak, and alder. Prefers fresh to moist, mineral-rich, and deep soils, often base-rich and calcareous, but can also tolerate seasonally waterlogged sites. Found in river floodplains, slopes, and valleys, generally up to altitudes of about 1000 to 1700 meters. Young plants tolerate shade, while mature trees require more light and open crowns. The species thrives in temperate climates with moderate humidity.

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