Images of the European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

European Ash

Fraxinus excelsior

Also called Common Ash, its winged seeds are called keys. This tree, native to Asia Minor and Europe, is now under threat from the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, which have killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in the US.

Growth Habit:Deciduous tree growing to 43 m (140 ft ft) tall, and 18-27 m (60-90 ft) wide, usually with a dense rounded crown. Its gray bark is smooth on young trees and becomes vertically fissured on mature specimens.

Bloom Time:Early spring

Presence in US:CT KY MA NY OH

Presence in Canada:NB NS ON QC

This project was supported in part by NSF Grant IIS-03-25867 (ITR: An Electronic Field Guide: Plant Exploration and Discovery in the 21st Century) and by the Washington Biologists' Field Club.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation (NSF).