Ontario Trees & Shrubs website

Red Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Other common names: Green Ash

French names: Frêne rouge

Family: Olive Family (Oleaceae)

Group: Ashes

Distinctive features: Tree; Twigs & leaf undersides are densely hairy.

Similar species:
  •   White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

  •   Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) - grows in wet areas.


Flowers: Spring

Leaves: Opposite/Whorled, Compound, Entire;  Compound, opposite. Underside densely hairy.

Habitat: Fields and Open Areas

Books: Trees in Canada: 164   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Common.

Notes: Red Ash and Green Ash are now considered to be the same species. All photos on this page were taken of labelled Red Ash specimens in arboretums.

Photographs: 30 photographs available, of which 11 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

This is the distinctive feature of Red Ash - densely hairy on the underside of the leaves and along the twigs. This is a young leaf, in the spring, so it's very hairy.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Older leaves are not quite as hairy, but it's still obvious.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Another view of the underside of leaflet and leaf stalk.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Upper side of leaflet and leaf stalk.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

A young leaf, upper side.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Closeup of the upper side of a leaflet.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Upper side of an entire leaf.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Underside of the same leaf.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Bark & trunk of a mature tree, looking up the trunk.

Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Seeds.


Range map for Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)