Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Red ash ( Fraxinus pennsylvanica ), autumn colors
The red ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica ), also Pensylvanische ash, swamp ash or green ash called, is a species of the genus of ash trees (Fraxinus ) in the family Oleaceae ( Oleaceae ). The red ash differs from the similar white ash through the thin, hairy branches. The undersides of leaves are green ( in white ash silvery- green).
Description
Vegetative characteristics
The red ash grows as a deciduous tree reaching heights of growth usually 15 to 25 meters (up to a maximum of 45 meters) and trunk diameter of up to 60 cm. In young twigs, the bark is brown, gray or green, glabrous or pubescent to woolly, later ( in the second to fourth year) it is bare or pubescent. The thick bark is furrowed and peels off. The fluffy hairy reddish- brown winter buds are conical with a length of 3 to 5 mm, ovate or ovate - conical.
The more or less against constantly arranged on the branches leaves are a total of 15 to 30 cm long with petiole and leaf blade. The angular petiole and rachis are hairy bald until fluffy. The unpaired pinnate leaf blade usually has seven to nine ( five to eleven) short gestiele to sedentary pinnate leaves, the lanceolate with a length of 5 to 15 ( to 18 ) cm and a width of 1.2 cm to 9 cm, oblong, oval or ovoid are with smooth edges, notched or serrated. The top is green to yellow- thor and bare, the bottom is green, hairless hairy until fluffy. Stipules absent. Fraxinus pennsylvanica among the tree species on the ripest ( beginning of September in North America) begin with the autumn colors and their foliage turns golden yellow.
Inflorescences and flowers
The red ash is dioecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). Simultaneously with the new foliage leaves appear in spring the flowers that are borne in compact, paniculate inflorescences. The unisexual flowers are very small and do not bloom. Pollination is by wind ( anemophily ).
Fruit and seeds
In crops of many winged, single-seeded nut fruits (Samara ) are formed, the 2.5 to 7.5 cm long. The nut fruit is 1.5 to 3 cm long. The wing 2 to 4 cm long and 3-7 mm wide.
Occurrence
The red ash has the largest distribution area of the North American ash species. The northern boundary extends from Nova Scotia to Alberta and Montana, the southern border of North Florida to Texas. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains up to altitudes of 900 meters. The red ash is mainly found in lowland forests on moist alluvial soils and swamps. But you will also tolerate relatively dry and even slightly alkaline soil and is therefore used for planting in the prairie and for mining reclamation.
In the moderate latitudes, the red ash is hardy and is occasionally used as ornamental tree in parks and gardens. It tends to run wild, and in some areas it is considered as critical invasive plant.
Diseases
The rust fungus Puccinia sparganioides infects the red ash.
System
Fraxinus pennsylvanica was first published in 1785 by Humphry Marshall in Arbustrum americanum, pp. 51-52. There were distinguished by some authors two varieties: Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall var pennsylvanica and Fraxinus pennsylvanica lanceolata var ( Borkh. ) coffin. However, they are no longer shown in the last publication to be valid. Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall synonyms for are: Fraxinus juglandifolia var aucubifolia H.Jaeger, Fraxinus lanceolata Borkh, Fraxinus pennsylvanica f aucubifolia ( H.Jaeger ) Rehder, Fraxinus pennsylvanica lanceolata var ( Borkh. ) coffin, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var subintegerrima. . ( Vahl ) Fernald, Fraxinus pennsylvanica Fraxinus pubescens Lam .. belongs to the section of the genus Fraxinus Melioides.
Use
The wood of the red - ash is used similarly to that of the white ash.