Common Ash
Fraxinus excelsior · Deciduous Broadleaf Hardwood
Plant Family
Oleaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree / Forest Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Standard species (wild type)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4 through 7 (commonly found across temperate Europe).
About This Tree
A tall, elegant tree with a rounded or occasionally tall-domed crown. Noted for its open canopy that allows light to reach the ground. Features stout, greenish-grey twigs and distinctively black, velvety winter buds.
Leaf Characteristics
Pinnately compound, usually 20–35 cm long with 7 to 13 opposite leaflets. Leaflets are oval, long-tipped, and serrated. Leaves often fall while still green in autumn or turn a pale yellow.
Bark Characteristics
Grey-brown and smooth on young trees, becoming deeply fissured and ridged into diamond-shaped patterns with age.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia
Growing Season
One of the last trees to leaf out in spring (mid to late May) and one of the first to lose leaves in autumn. Flowering occurs before leaf emergence.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun preferred; can tolerate partial shade when young. Requires moist but well-drained soils; sensitive to drought but can tolerate temporary flooding.
Mature Size
Height: 20-35 meters (65-115 ft); Spread: 15-20 meters; Growth rate: Moderate to fast when young; Lifespan: upwards of 200 years.
Special Characteristics
Highly valued for its strong, flexible, and shock-resistant timber (used for Tool handles/sports gear). In modern times, it is severely threatened by Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus).
Wildlife & Ecology
Critical ecological player; leaves decompose rapidly to enrich soil. Supports a wide variety of specialist insects (such as the ash bark beetle) and birds that nest in its cavities. Seeds (keys) provide food for birds and small mammals.