13 Species of Ash Trees

Black Ash

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra) is a tree native to eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. with high wildlife value. Birds and animals eat the seeds and deer and moose feed on the branches and leaves.

The thick gray bark becomes fissured and scaly as the tree ages. It has seven to 13 leaflets per compound leaf group, and the foliage turns yellow in the fall. Unfortunately, black ash is highly susceptible to emerald ash borer.

• Name: Black ash (Fraxinus nigra)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-9
• Mature Size: 50-65 ft. tall and wide
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Well-draining, sandy, loamy; acidic to slightly alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Very high

Green Ash

Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), also called red ash, swamp ash, and water ash, is one of the most common ash trees in eastern and northern North America. It grows in various soil conditions and is especially forgiving of conditions like pollution and salt in urban areas.

The gray-brown bark forms a diamond-like pattern. The leaves include five to nine leaflets, turning variable shades of yellow in the fall. Green ash is traditionally planted as a shade tree. Because this ash species is severely impacted by emerald ash borer, it is not recommended for areas with emerald ash borer problems.

• Name: Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
• Mature Size: 50-70 ft. tall, 35-50 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Well-drained; acidic to slightly alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Very high

White Ash

White ash (Fraxinus americana), also known as Biltmore ash, is the largest of the U.S. native ash trees. It is a pyramidal tree that gradually develops a fully rounded crown as the tree ages. Its gray bark has a distinctive pattern of diamond-shaped ridges in older trees.

Its leaves are clusters of five to nine leaflets, dark green on top and whitish-green on the undersides. In the fall, its leaves become purplish yellow. White ash populations in the eastern U.S. have been catastrophically affected by emerald ash borer.

• Name: White ash (Fraxinus americana)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
• Mature Size: 60-120 ft. tall, 50-75 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Rich, loamy, moist, well-draining; acidic to slightly alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Very high

Blue Ash

Blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) is named for the inner bark turning blue. A distinctive characteristic of this species native to the Midwest is the square shape of young shoots. In mature trees, the gray bark forms irregular plates. The leaves form clusters of seven to 11 leaflets, turning gray and dull yellow in the fall.

It is one of the best ashes for dry locations, though it also does well in medium-wet sites. Blue ash is less affected by emerald ash borer than other North American ash tree species.

• Name: Blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-7
• Mature Size: 50-75 ft. tall, 50-70 ft. wide 
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained, loamy; acidic to alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Moderate

California Ash

The California ash (Fraxinus dipetala), also known as two-petal ash, is a shrub or small tree that differs in appearance from many other ashes. It is native to California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.

The leaves have serrated edges and rounded tips, forming clusters of three to nine leaflets. The white flowers have two petals and hang in fragrant clusters. This is a good plant for drought, since it has low water needs.

Emerald ash borer has not yet affected the California ash in its native range, but the invasive pest reached the West Coast in 2022. As the susceptibility of California ash is still unknown, trees should be treated as a precaution.

• Name: California ash (Fraxinus dipetala)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-9
• Mature Size: 20-23 ft. tall, 15 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Well-drained; acidic to alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: To be determined

Carolina Ash

Carolina ash (Fraxinus caroliana) prefers wet soils and is often found in swampy areas. It is native to North Carolina and South Carolina, in addition to neighboring swampy states. Other common names include Florida ash, swamp ash, water ash, and pop ash.

This rare ash tree does well in shady conditions and is perfect for stabilizing wetland areas. The emerald ash borer is present in the native range of the Carolina ash. Its degree of susceptibility to the pest is still unknown, so be ready to treat your tree preventatively with an insecticide.

• Name: Carolina ash (Fraxinus caroliana)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-10
• Mature Size: 30-60 ft. tall, 5-10 ft. wide 
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Moist, adapts to many types, acidic to neutral pH
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: To be determined

European Ash

As the name suggests, European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is found throughout Europe. It is also known as common ash. Unlike most ashes, this tree is generally wider than tall when mature. Look for black buds as a characteristic to distinguish them from other ashes, which usually have brown buds.

The leaves of European ash comprise seven to 13 leaflets. While some cultivars have a yellow color in the fall, the native species tend to drop their leaves while they are still green. European ash is reportedly less attractive to emerald ash borer than the black, green, and white ash, but it is still susceptible.

• Name: European ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-7
• Mature Size: 60-80 ft. tall, 50-60 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained; loam; acidic to slightly alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Moderate

Gregg's Ash

Gregg's ash (Fraxinus greggii), also known as little leaf ash, is a large shrub that can be trained into a small tree. It is native to desert terrain in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas and is drought-tolerant once established, It is suitable to be grown in a container.

This species has smaller leaves than other ash tree species, forming clusters of three to 11 leaflets. The bark is smooth and gray, and the branches are quite thin. This is one of the few ashes that tolerate some shade. Emerald ash borer has not yet affected this tree in its native range but could in the future.

• Name: Gregg's ash (Fraxinus greggii)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-10
• Mature Size: 11-15 ft. tall, 6-10 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Well-drained; neutral to alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: To be determined

Manna Ash

Manna ash (Fraxinus ornus) is named after the biblical food because of its sweet sap extract. The tree is native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia. It has one of the prettiest flower shows of the ashes, appearing in May; its other common name is flowering ash.

The dark gray bark on this tree remains smooth, even in old trees. The leaves form in bundles of five to nine leaflets, with finely serrated edges, turning yellow-purple in fall. Like other ash trees not native to North America, this species may have greater resistance to emerald ash borer.

• Name: Manna ash (Fraxinus ornus)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9
• Mature Size: 40 to 50 feet tall
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Sandy, loamy, clay; moist or dry; mildly acid to neutral to mildly alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Moderate to low

Narrow Leaf Ash

The narrow-leaf ash (Fraxinus angustifolia). also called desert ash, is a medium- to large-sized tree renowned for doing well in urban settings and acidic soil. It is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, The young tree has a smooth, pale-gray bark that gradually becomes square-cracked and knobby as the tree grows older.

'Raywood' is the most common cultivar, also known as claret ash, named for the lovely shade of purple in fall. The slender leaves are grouped in three to 13 leaflets. This is another non-North American ash that may have greater resistance to damage from emerald ash borer.

• Name: Narrow-leaf ash (Fraxinus angustifolia)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8
• Mature Size: 50 to 80 feet
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: All soil types; mildly acid to alkaline soil; dry or moist
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Moderate to low

Pumpkin Ash

The base of the trunk of this ash species becomes engorged and looks like a pumpkin, especially in wet soils, hence its name, pumpkin ash (Fraxinus profunda). The tree is native to eastern North America. The trunk is covered in thick, gray, fissured bark.

The leaves comprise clusters of seven to nine leaflets that turn bronze to purplish-red in fall. This tree likes moist soil, making it a traditional choice for large rain gardens. This large tree needs a lot of space. Due to its high susceptibility to emerald ash borer, it is no longer a recommended ash tree.

• Name: Pumpkin ash (Fraxinus profunda)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
• Mature Size: 60-80 ft. tall, 30-50 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Wet; neutral pH
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Very high

Velvet Ash

Velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina) is drought-tolerant and does well in wet or alkaline soils. It is a good choice if you need a tree that grows fast. This tree is native to the southwestern U.S. and is also called the Arizona or Modesto ash. The gray-brown bark is rough and fissured, and the shoots emerge with a velvety coating.

As the emerald ash borer is spreading across the U.S. and the susceptibility of velvet ash to the emerald ash borer is still unknown, it is recommended to treat any velvet ash as a preventative measure.

• Name: Velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-10
• Mature Size: 20-40 ft. tall and wide
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Wet or moist; alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: To be determined

Manchurian Ash

Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandschurica), an ash species native to eastern Asia, is of growing interest as a landscape specimen due to its demonstrated resistance to emerald ash borer.

Experiments are underway to cross this species with native North American ashes to develop species that can survive the pest onslaught. It is a large tree with large compound leaves comprised of up to 11 leaflets that turn an attractive yellow in fall. The smooth gray bark becomes slightly fissured as the tree ages.

• Name: Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandschurica)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-6
• Mature Size: 40-50 ft. tall, 20-25 ft. wide
• Light: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained, acidic to alkaline
• Susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer: Low