Practical
Plants

Fraxinus americana

White Ash

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Fraxinus genus in the family Oleaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Oleaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
25 m
Spread
15 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A bitter tasting syrup is drawn from the tree[6]. The report gives no more details and does not directly say that the syrup was used as food. It was quite possibly only used medicinally[K].

Product or use
Drink

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark is astringent, emmenagogue and a bitter tonic[13][15][9][10]. An infusion is used to promote menstruation[10]. It has also been used as a wash to treat skin sores, itches and vermin on the scalp[4][10]. The inner bark is diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic and strongly laxative[5]. It is used as a tea to remove bile from the intestines, as a tonic after childbirth and to relieve stomach cramps and fevers[5][10]. It is chewed and applied as a poultice to sores[5]. The leaves are used to soothe the itching caused by mosquito bites and bee stings[8]. The seeds are thought to be aphrodisiac[5].

Product or use
Aphrodisiac
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Bitter
Product or use
Stings
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are said to repel rattlesnakes and have been worn on the feet of people travelling in rattlesnake country[4]. There are some doubts over the efficacy of this[4]. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark[6]. Wood - strong, hard, heavy, tough, elastic, close grained, moderately durable[13][17][7]. It weighs 41lb per cubic foot, seasons well, takes a good polish and is shock resistant[7]. One of the most valuable of the North American timbers[17][6], it is much used for tool handles, hockey sticks, baseball bats, the interior of buildings, musical instruments, furniture, woodenware etc[13][17][7][11]. As a fuel it is comparable in quality to such excellent species as oak (Quercus spp) and hickory (Carya spp)[6].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Repellent
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Nebraska and Texas.
Habitat
Rich upland to lowland woods[12][17]. Usually found in association with other hardwood trees in well-drained soils on slopes[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed is best harvested green - as soon as it is fully developed but before it has fully dried on the tree - and can then be sown immediately in a cold frame[16]. It usually germinates in the spring[16]. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification and is best sown as soon as possible in a cold frame[3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions or a nursery bed in late spring or early summer of the following year. If you have sufficient seed then it is possible to sow it directly into an outdoor seedbed, preferably in the autumn. Grow the seedlings on in the seedbed for 2 years before transplanting either to their permanent positions or to nursery beds.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a deep loamy soil, even if it is on the heavy side[1][3]. Most members of this genus are gross feeders and require a rich soil[3]. Succeeds in exposed positions[3] and in alkaline soils[2]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution[3]. Young plants tolerate forest shade[6]. One of the most valuable hardwood timber trees in N. America[6], saplings grow slowly at first, but the growth rate speeds up over the next 50 years[8]. This species is planted on a small scale, mainly in E. Europe, as a timber tree[14]. It has the potential as a forestry tree in Britain, succeeding under conditions that are too dry or frosty for the native ash, F. excelsior[2]. A very ornamental tree[1], it is often confused in cultivation with F. pennsylvanica[14]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Male trees usually flower heavily each year, but female trees only flower heavily every 2 - 3 years[8].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  7. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩

  10. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

    ↩

  12. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  15. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  16. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2

  17. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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