White ash

Leaves

Form

• Pinnately compound
• 5–9 (usually 7) leaflets on a central stalk
• Leaflets oval to lance-shaped
• Tapering gradually to each end
• Leaflets fall individually in autumn
• Lower surface hairless except along the veins

Length

• Leaflets 6–15 cm
• Basal leaflets the shortest
• Leaf and central stalk 15–25 cm

Colour

• Upper surface dark green
• Lower surface very pale green

Autumn colour

• Bronze-purple

Margin

• Smooth or with infrequent rounded teeth

Buds

Form

• Terminal bud present, blunt
• Uppermost pair of lateral buds set close to terminal bud
• No bark showing in-between
• Leaf scars semicircular, notched in upper surface

Length

• Terminal bud 5–14 mm

Width

• Wider than long

Colour

• Reddish-brown

Twigs

Form

• Stout, hairless, shiny

Colour

• Purplish or with a greyish skin

Flowers

Form

• Apetalous
• Arranged in panicles

Colour

• Purple

Structure

• Dioecious

Floral timing

• Before or with the leaves

Fruits

Form

• Wing encloses only the tip of the seedcase

Length

• 2.5–5 cm

Structure

• Samara

Bark

Form

• Finely furrowed into thin firm intersecting ridges
• Regular diamond pattern

Colour

• Light grey

Wood

Texture

• Heavy, hard, strong, tough

Colour

• Light brown

Morphology

• Straight-grained

Size

Height

• To 30 m 

Diameter

• To 150 cm 

Maximum age

• 200 years

Tree form

Forest-grown

Trunk

• Long, straight
• Often branch-free almost to the top

Crown

• Narrow, pyramidal

Root system 

• Deep where soil conditions permit

Habitat

Site

• Deep, well-drained, upland soils

Light tolerance

• Moderately shade-tolerant

Associated species

• Other broadleaf trees and occasional conifers

Range

An eastern species