60 



Cornell Junior Extension Bulletin 2(i 



49. WHITE ASH 



(Fraxinus americana Linnaeus) 



WMU ash shares with the basswood the distinction of being one of the 

 most valuable and rapid-growing trees in the woodlots of New York 

 State. It is common throughout New York, and is found up to an alti- 

 tude of 2000 feet in the 

 Adirondacks. It pre- 

 fers to grow in rich 

 moist woods near water. 

 The wood is heavy, hard, 

 strong, close-grained, 

 and tough. Large quan- 

 tities of it are used for 

 agricultural implements, 

 tool handles, oars, furni- 

 ture, and in the automo- 

 bile industry. 



Bark — grayish brown 

 in color, deeply fur- 

 rowed with narrow flat- 

 topped firm ridges which 

 on older trunks are 

 somewhat scaly; ridges 

 in some instances tending to run together enclosing diamond-shaped hol- 

 lows. 



Twigs — very stout, smooth, shining, grayish brown in color, brittle, 

 flattened at leaf bases (nodes). 



Winter buds — plump, blunt-pointed, dark brown or nearly black in 

 color ; terminal bud Vr, inch long, larger than lateral buds ; last pair of 

 lateral buds almost on level with terminal bud. 



Leaves — opposite, compound, from 8 to 15 inches long, with from 5 to 

 9 leaflets; leaflets sharp-pointed, from 8 to 5 inches long, with slightly 

 and sparsely serrate margins; borne on short stems, by this characteristic 

 may be told from black-ash leaflets which are stemless. 



Fruit — a winged seed, from 1 to 2 inches long, broadly paddle-shaped 

 with the wing occupying the position of the blade; borne in long, open, 

 drooping clusters, ripening in September, often not dropping off until 

 early winter. 



Leaf and fruit, one-third 

 half natural size 



WHITE ASH 



natural size 



twig, one- 



