Green Ash
Scientific Name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Category: tree
Brief Description
A medium-sized deciduous tree popular in urban landscaping, known for its compound leaves and winged seeds.
Characteristics
Opposite, pinnately compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets; gray-brown bark with diamond-shaped ridges; and clusters of paddle-shaped winged seeds (samaras).
Habitat
Typically found in floodplains and moist bottomlands in the wild, but widely planted in urban areas.
When to Find It
Leaves turn yellow in fall; seeds persist into late autumn and winter.
Conservation Status
Critically Endangered (IUCN) primarily due to the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.
Ecological Role
Provides habitat and food for various birds and insects; its seeds are eaten by wood ducks, finches, and squirrels.
Easily Confused With
White Ash (Fraxinus americana), which has leaflets with longer stalks and paler undersides; Box Elder, which has different samara shapes.
Observation Tips
Check for the diamond-patterned bark and opposite branching. Look for D-shaped exit holes in the bark, which indicate Emerald Ash Borer presence.
Interesting Facts
The Green Ash is currently facing a massive population decline across North America due to the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, a wood-boring beetle.