Ash tree

Ash is the name of three very distinct group of trees. In America and Europe, "ash" generally refers to trees of the Genus Fraxinus. In Great Britain, "ash" also refers to the mountain ash or Rowan, Genus Sorbus. In Australia, "mountain ash" refers to a type of eucalyptus, Eucalyptus regnans, one of the tallest trees in the world (perhaps second only to the coast redwood).

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Ash Genus: Fraxinus

Ash
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Scrophulariales * Family: Oleaceae Genus: Fraxinus
Species
Fraxinus americana -- white ash   Fraxinus angustifolia -- narrowleaf ash   Fraxinus anomala -- single-leaf ash   Fraxinus apertisquamifera   Fraxinus caroliniana -- water ash   Fraxinus cuspidata -- fragrant ash   Fraxinus dipetala -- two-petal ash   Fraxinus dubia   Fraxinus excelsior -- common ash   Fraxinus baroniana   Fraxinus bungeana -- Bunge ash   Fraxinus chinensis -- Chinese ash   Fraxinus chiisanensis   Fraxinus floribunda   Fraxinus gooddingii -- Goodding's ash   Fraxinus greggii -- Gregg's ash   Fraxinus griffithii   Fraxinus holotricha   Fraxinus hubeiensis   Fraxinus lanuginosa   Fraxinus latifolia -- Oregon ash   Fraxinus longicuspis -- Japanese ash   Fraxinus malacophylla   Fraxinus mandshurica -- Manchurian ash   Fraxinus micrantha   Fraxinus nigra -- black ash   Fraxinus ornus -- flowering ash   Fraxinus papillosa -- Chihuahua ash   Fraxinus paxiana   Fraxinus pennsylvanica -- green ash   Fraxinus platypoda   Fraxinus profunda -- pumpkin ash   Fraxinus purpusii   Fraxinus quadrangulata -- blue ash   Fraxinus raibocarpa   Fraxinus rufescens   Fraxinus uhdei -- Shamel ash   Fraxinus sieboldiana -- Chinese         flowering ash   Fraxinus spaethiana   Fraxinus trifoliata   Fraxinus velutina -- velvet ash   Fraxinus xanthoxyloides -- Afghan ash
*Some botanists include the Oleaceae in the order Lamiales.

The Genus Fraxinus is in the olive family (Family Oleaceae). Ashes are usually medium to large trees. Most have pinnately-compound, opposite leaves. Seeds are borne in keys, a type of fruit known as a samara.

The white ash is a particularly important timber tree in eastern North America, and is the source of wood for quality wooden baseball bats. The green ash is widely planted as a street tree in the United States. The inner bark of the blue ash has been used as a source for a blue dye.

Ashes of eastern North America include:

• Fraxinus americana -- white ash
• Fraxinus caroliniana -- water ash]
• Fraxinus nigra -- black ash
• Fraxinus pennsylvanica -- green ash (including red ash)
• Fraxinus profunda -- pumpkin ash (aka Fraxinus tomentosa)
• Fraxinus quadrangulata -- blue ash

Ashes of western and southwestern North America include:

• Fraxinus anomala -- single-leaf ash
• Fraxinus cuspidata -- fragrant ash
• Fraxinus dipetala -- two-petal ash
• Fraxinus dubia -- ash
• Fraxinus gooddingii -- Goodding's ash
• Fraxinus greggii -- Gregg's ash
• Fraxinus latifolia -- Oregon ash
• Fraxinus papillosa -- Chihuahua ash
• Fraxinus purpusii -- ash
• Fraxinus rufescens -- ash
• Fraxinus uhdei -- Shamel ash
• Fraxinus velutina -- velvet ash

Ashes of Europe include:

• Fraxinus angustifolia -- narrowleaf ash (also in Asia and North Africa)
• Fraxinus excelsior -- common ash
• Fraxinus holotricha -- ash
• Fraxinus ornus -- flowering ash (also in North Africa)

Ashes of Asia include:

• Fraxinus angustifolia -- narrowleaf ash (also in Europe and North Africa)
• Fraxinus apertisquamifera -- ash
• Fraxinus baroniana -- ash
• Fraxinus bungeana -- Bunge ash
• Fraxinus chinensis -- Chinese ash (or Korean ash)
• Fraxinus chiisanensis -- ash
• Fraxinus floribunda -- ash
• Fraxinus griffithii -- ash
• Fraxinus hubeiensis -- ash
• Fraxinus lanuginosa -- ash
• Fraxinus longicuspis -- Japanese ash
• Fraxinus malacophylla -- ash
• Fraxinus mandshurica -- Manchurian ash
• Fraxinus micrantha -- ash
• Fraxinus paxiana -- ash
• Fraxinus platypoda -- ash
• Fraxinus raibocarpa -- ash
• Fraxinus sieboldiana -- Chinese flowering ash
• Fraxinus spaethiana -- ash
• Fraxinus trifoliata -- ash
• Fraxinus xanthoxyloides -- Afghan ash (also in North Africa)

Ashes of Africa (North Africa only) include:

• Fraxinus angustifolia -- narrowleaf ash (also in Europe)
• Fraxinus ornus -- flowering ash (also in Europe)
• Fraxinus xanthoxyloides -- Afghan ash (also in Asia)

Cultural aspects

In Norse mythology, the World Tree, Yggdrasil, was an ash tree, and the man, Ask, was formed from an ash tree (the first woman was made from alder). Elsewhere in Europe, snakes were said to be repelled by ash leaves or a circle drawn by an ash branch. Irish folklore claims that shadows from an ash tree damage crops. In Cheshire, it is said that ash could be used to cure warts or rickets.

See also; Trees of Britain, Trees of the world