Prickly ash bark is the bark of a tree known as prickly ash or northern prickly ash. At times, it weakens the tree to an extent that it becomes vulnerable to seasonal changes and infestation by pests. The pumpkin ash tree gets its common name from the way the trunk bulges, similar to a pumpkin. The bark is grey, thick and corky even on young trees, becoming scaly and fissured with age. California ash (Fraxinus dipetala) leaves. Determining the variety you have is a process of elimination. Ash tree leaves: Arizona ash tree leaves are 4” to 10” (10 – 25 cm) long. The ash tree leaves are between 1” and 3” (3 – 7 cm) long. When present on trees, seeds are dry, oar-shaped samaras. A large tree can present a serious hazard to objects and people on the ground below – have your tree evaluated by an arborist if you suspect borers. Manchurian ash tree (Fraxinus mandshurica). Trees that have been infested a while may have many dying branches and aggressive shoot growth around the base of the tree in addition to the bark peeling and holes in the trunk. As species of ash trees mature, the bark becomes rougher and develops shallow fissures. This article is a guide to identifying common ash trees growing in parks, deciduous forests, woodlands, and residential neighborhoods. Carolina ash (Fraxinus caroliniana) leaves. The large matte green pinnate leaves have five to nine broad, ovoid leaflets with slightly serrated margins. Seeds. These ash seeds drop from the trees in late fall or early winter. These ash trees grow to between 65 – 98 ft. (20 – 30 m) tall and have cracked gray bark and large distinctively narrow leaves with three to thirteen slender long leaflets. Older ash trees usually have bark with a distinct diamond pattern, though young ash trees have smooth bark. Pumpkins ash trees have large leaves up to 18” (45 cm) long. Also known as desert ash and narrow-leaved ash, this tree has smooth, pale-gray bark on young trees that gradually become square-cracked and knobby as the tree grows older. Check your damaged tree’s trunk for small holes before dressing the wounded areas with a trunk wrap or painting it with white latex paint mixed with equal parts water. White ash (on left) and green ash (on right) Bark. Along with descriptions of the bark and leaves, pictures of ash trees will help identify varieties of trees in the Fraxinus genus. Here are some of the most common varieties of ash tree: Ash tree bark is light gray with recognizable diamond-shaped patterns. Ash tree leaves are compound pinnate leaves with five to nine (sometimes eleven or thirteen) oblong-lanceolate leaflets. Prickly ash bark is the bark of a tree known as prickly ash or northern prickly ash. Once sunburn has occurred, there’s no way to repair it but you can prevent it in the future by being careful to prune out less than a quarter of the living branches of an ash tree during any season. The distinguishing feature of the European ash tree is its black buds—most ash trees have brown buds. Seeds from ash trees are similar to maple seeds. The most common cultivar, 'Raywood,' is also known as claret ash, named for the lovely shade of purple that occurs in fall. Manchurian ash trees are similar in appearance to black ash trees. Ash tree leaves: Texas ash tree leaves have five leaflets in a rounded shape. Moreover, the bark of the ash tree is edible and the leaves which are described as being refreshing are much appreciated. The ash hardwood is suitable for making baseball bats, hockey sticks, oars, and toys. Ash leaves are generally dark green on the upper side and a lighter color on the underside. A mature ash tree has serious chunk of bark split off tree. Often, they’ll shed bark in protest, but quick action on your part can slow or stop your ash tree from losing bark. Wild cherry tree bark Prunus avium. These large ash trees grow between 60 to 80 ft. (18 – 24 m) tall. Most varieties of ash trees generally grow to between 50 and 80 ft. (15 – 24 m). Also called the little leaf ash tree, Gregg’s ash tree is a deciduous tree native to southern North America. Because of this, they’re not very adaptable when the weather dries out and they can’t get the moisture they require. On mature trees (left), the bark is tight with a distinct pattern of diamond-shaped ridges. Types of Willow Trees: Weeping Willows, Willow Shrubs, Dwarf Willows and More (With Pictures and Nam... Types of Evergreen Trees with Identification Guide, Pictures and Names, How to Choose The Best Type of Natural Christmas Tree, Ash Tree: Types, Bark and Leaves – Identification Guide (Pictures), Sycamore Trees: Leaves, Bark, Types – Identification Guide, Varieties of Arborvitae Hedges, Trees, and Shrubs, Native area: Eastern and central North America, Native area: Eastern and northern North America, Native area: South and the southeastern United States, Native area: Europe and southwestern Asia. Over-pruning is a common cause of an ash tree bark problem; the removal of branches that once shaded the trunk can lead to sunburn on these previously protected tissues. Water a stressed tree well, withholding fertilizer until the tree show signs of improvement. Texas ash trees are small trees in the Fraxinus genus that grow in dry, rocky soil. The medium-sized trees have a spreading round canopy up to 50 ft. (15 m) wide. Ash trees produce clusters of small white or purple flowers that appear in spring after the leaves. Mature ash bark is a dark gray, resembling a mature oak tree. Gregg’s ash trees are a semi-evergreen species with lance-shaped leaves that have serrated edges. What do I do to save this tree? All the ash tree varieties are related to olive trees that are also in the woody plant family Oleaceae. Only Ash trees and Boxelder trees have both opposite branching and compound leaves, but the leaves on Boxelder trees usually only have 3-5 leaflets, not 5-9. Each pinnate leaf usually has seven leaflets; however, there can be between 5 and 11 per leaf. Ash tree gum extracted from certain varieties used to serve to sweeten food. A particular female tree may produce fruit abundantly one year and produce almost no fruit the next year. Identification starts with making sure that the tree in question is a true ash. In fact, the tree is sometimes more expansive than it is tall. Ash trees are medium to large deciduous trees with a rounded crown of dark green foliage. The dark green leaves, silvery brown bark, and purple spring flowers give this ash tree year-long interest. Ash tree leaves: Green ash tree leaves are compound pinnate with five to nine leaflets per leaf. Ash tree bark: European ash tree has smooth bark when young. But the tall ash tree looks spectacular in large open landscapes. The lanceolate leaflets have serrated margins. White ash (on left) and green ash (on right) Bark. Ash trees make graceful landscape plants, but when your trees are stressed or plagued by pests, they may begin to shed bark in response to the damage they’re experiencing. Ash tree bark is light gray with recognizable diamond-shaped patterns. The winged fruits of ash trees are unmistakable. Common names for green ash trees include swamp ash, red ash, downy ash, and water ash. When ash trees are young, the bark is smooth. 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The elongated oblong leaves have between three and nine leaflets with toothed edges. The more serious concern in the large chunk of exposed trunk. This fast-growing ash tree has gray-brown bark, leaves with serrated margins, and small clusters of spring flowers. Other stressors like a sudden change in environment, such as trenching, removing the grass around the tree, herbicide use, over-fertilization, or the failure of your irrigation system can also end in bark shedding. This ash tree is a small multi-stemmed ash tree with smooth gray bark. Ash tree leaves: Blue ash tree leaves grow to between 8” and 15” (20 – 40 cm) long.