Florida Ash Tree

The flowers on this tree have a pleasant smell.

Florida ash tree. Leaves are compound opposite 7 12 in long leaflets 5 7 in ovate to oblong coarsely. This is a smaller variety of ash tree that grows to about only 20 feet in height and is found in parts of california nevada arizona and utah. Over northern florida particularly in the western section many of the trees that range widely and are well known over the eastern u s. Florida s climate might maybe save a handful of america s ash trees.

It is found in the swamps and floodplain forests throughout the state wunderlin 2003. Naturally a moist bottomland or stream bank tree it is hardy to climatic extremes and has been widely planted in the plains states and canada. It can be easy to mistake an ash tree for black walnut maple boxelder hickory or dogwood trees. Carolina ash is native to the bottomlands and riverbanks of the southeastern u s.

But populations are splintering. Fraxinus caroliniana the pop ash florida ash swamp ash carolina ash or water ash is a species of ash tree native from cuba through the subtropical southeastern united states from southern virginia to texas it was originally described by the botanist philip miller it is a small tree about 40 ft. The tree has the typical leaf clusters of five to seven leaflets. Approximately eighteen species of ash trees fraxinus spp occur in the u s.

Other common names include florida ash swamp ash water ash and pop ash. A small to medium sized tree that sometimes grows in clumps it is fairly common in hammocks and other wet habitats. Like many qdma members and deer habitat managers i have been targeting ash trees for removal by cutting girdling and hack and squirt to free up space around mast bearing oaks and to increase sunlight reaching the ground for forage and cover production. Florida has a great variety of native trees more than any other state in the u s.

Carolina ash is the only ash tree found in south florida the opposite compound leaves are diagnostic. This is the rare ash tree that does well in shady conditions and it is a very good choice for stabilizing wetland areas. The commercial supply is mostly in the south. Known as little leaf ash dogleg ash and mexican ash these trees are probably the shortest out of all the different ash trees.

It flowers in the spring. I learned recently of a particular danger inherent in cutting down ashes and your personal safety may depend on your own awareness. Green ash fraxinus pennsylvanica also called red ash swamp ash and water ash is the most widely distributed of all the american ashes. Ash trees belong to the fraxinus species and grow commonly in cities and forests.