of New York 



117 



BLACK ASH 



Fraxinus nigra, Marshall 



THE BLACK ASH is a tree of the swamps or other moist 

 places. The early settlers called it Hoop Ash and the 

 Indians called it Basket Ash. 



The leaves are opposite, 10 to 14 inches long, compound, 

 with 7 to 1 1 leaflets. The leaflets are 3 to 5 inches long, 

 finely-toothed along mar- 

 gin, all are stalkless except 

 the terminal one. 



The flowers are similar 

 to those of White Ash. 



The fruit is a winged 

 seed similar to that of 

 White Ash, but is broader 

 winged, notched at apex, 

 and the wing completely 

 surrounds flattened seed. 



The bark is thin, gray- 

 ish, very shallowly fur- 

 rowed, peels off in pow- 

 dery to corky fine scales. 

 The twigs are smooth, 

 stout, light - gray. The 

 buds are opposite, black, 

 sharp-pointed. 



BLACK ASH 

 One-fourth natural size. 



The wood is soft, 

 rather coarse-grained, with white sapwood and dark-brown 

 heartwood. It is used for baskets, hoops, furniture, interior 

 finishings. 



The Black Ash is found from Newfoundland to Mani- 

 toba, south to Virginia and Arkansas. It is common in low 

 or wet soil across New York and westward to Lake Erie. It 

 is rare south of the Hudson highlands. This tree, which 

 usually has a slender stem, may reach a height of 60 to 80 

 feet. 



The only other ash tree found in New York with black 

 buds is the European Ash — Fraxinus excelsior, Linnaeus. 

 Its buds are large, jet black and decidedly round-pointed. 

 The leaves are not so large as those of the Black Ash and the 

 leaflets are usually stalked. 



