Black Ash

Botanical Name: Fraxinus nigra
Other Names: Swamp Ash, Hoop Ash
Other Botanical Names: null
Family: Oleaceae Native to: Eastern North America
Hardy to zone: 2
Natural habitat: swamps & bogs
Shapes: oblong
Height: 50-65ft
width: 30-40ft
Growth rate: slow
Lifespan: 150-150 years
Common uses: reforestation
Light: full sun
Transplanting: easy
Soil: moist and fertile, tolerates heavy clay, acid ph
Reproduction type: dioecious

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Medium sized trees found is the swampy woodlands of Eastern North America. The black ash is cold tolerant and extends further north than the Green or White Ash. Very tolerant of waterlogging but not shade tolerant. Its flexible wood is commonly used for barrel hoops, canoe ribs, snowshoe frames and baskets because of its ability to be bent permanently.

Leaves

Compound, with 7-11 leaflets. Leaf colour is dark green on both upper and lower surfaces. The margins consist of small, sharp teeth and no leaf stalk is present. reddish-brown colour in the fall.

Bark

Scaly, soft, corky and able to indent or peel off by hand. Green and White ash bark is firm and non scaly. Light grey in colour.

Seeds & Fruit

Broader and flatter samara than those of the White or Green Ash. Seeds germinate irregularly, in 2-7 years.

Twigs & Buds

Buds are near black in colour. Uppermost lateral buds are slightly below the terminal bud with bark showing in between. Other ashes have no such gap. Twigs are very stout, becoming grey with age.