New England Trees

Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Plant Family: Oleaceae
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree, from 10 to 20 meters tall.
Leaves: Opposite, compound, with 5 to 9 leaflets with winged stalks; leaves green above and below; margins entire or very lightly toothed.
Bark: Gray, with obvious raised ridges in a cross-hatched pattern, the twigs are softly hairy.
Flowers: Dioecious, small, purplish, lacking petals, in clusters near the branch ends, April to June.
Fruits: Yellowish to brownish samaras, each with a single seed at the base; in hanging clusters in late summer.
Habitat: Lakeshores, streambanks, and other lowland habitats; tolerates flooding.
Range: Common in New England and throughout the eastern United States and Canada.
Similar Species: White Ash has leaves whitish green beneath, the leaflet stalks lack wings, the twigs are smooth, and it is found in drier habitats.
Comments: The wood is of similar quality to White Ash and is used for the same purposes.