Fraxinus excelsior

Description

A deciduous tree with a life span of about 250 years, growing in moist conditions. When mature, the outline of the tree is rounded, the trunk to 2 m thick. The flowers open before the leaves. An Ash can have male, female or hermaphroditic flowers (part female, part male) on the same tree. The winged fruit often stay on the tree through winter. Buds in spring are black.

Ash wood is sturdy, tough, flexible and hard wearing. It has an attractive colour that varies between creamy white to light brown. Used to make tool handles, specifically hammers and axes, tennis rackets, walking sticks, snooker cue sticks, as well as for furniture and flooring.

Flowers

The male flowers have just two stamens, purple in colour, turning yellow with pollen. They do not release their pollen till the female flowers have been fertilised, to prevent self-fertilisation.
The female flowers are light green, have a long pistil with a stigma on top to receive the pollen. In an hermaphroditic flower the top is female and the male is below.

Leaves

Pinnate row of leaflets on either side of the stem. 7-13 rows of leaflets on either side of the stem, serrated, pointed tip, each leaflet 3-12 cm.

Fruits Seeds

Samara: winged fruit in drooping bunches, 25-45 mm long.