Also called American ash.
Part of
ash genus Fraxinus
in
ash / lilac / olive family Oleaceae.
Native to 🇨🇦 Canada and 🇺🇸 USA, east of the 🗻 Rocky Mountains.
🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48),
🗺 map (North America, Central America),
🗺 today + with climate change (eastern 🇺🇸 USA).
Invasive > 🌐︎ various
Formerly abundant, in much of its range, this tree (and other native ash trees), with stem diameter over 2½ cm (1 in) (taller than a basketball hoop or so), have been or are now being killed by parasitic insect
emerald ash borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis.
Although we know some homeowners, who for over a decade, protect their six adult ash trees through annual treatments. And on a larger scale, we have heard that some communities do the same. We have no details on this treatment, but we could find out.
Native alternatives for ash trees killed by EAB (Missouri Botanical Garden).
This plant is also known to be a host for (in areas where invasive)
🐝︎ spotted lanternfly (SLF) Lycorma delicatula.
Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)
Like the
◼︎ blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata,
its 🪵 wood makes great baseball bats, 🔨︎ tool handles, furniture and flooring.
Fraxinus hosts caterpillars of 150 species
of butterflies and moths, in some areas.