The blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) is a medium to large-sized tree that is usually 40 to 60 feet tall, but can attain a height of 150 feet with a trunk diameter of 3 feet. It is the only eastern ash with square twigs. The leaves are 8 to 12 inches long with 7 to 11 leaflets, 3 to 5 inches long, oval or lance shaped, and finely toothed margins.
Habitat: Grows on Rocky Bluffs. Found in extreme southeast Iowa.
Hardiness: Zones 3 though 9
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Mature Shape: Slightly pyramidal, upright with a rounded crown
Height: 40 to 60 feet
Width: 50 to 70 feet
Site Requirements: Native to Iowa, ash trees grow best in full sun and moist, well-drained soils. Ash trees are tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, double-toothed with equal leafbase
Flowering Dates: March - April
Seed Dispersal Dates: September - October
Seed Bearing Age: 25 Years
Seed Bearing Frequency: Every 3-4 years
Seed Stratification: Prechill for 3 months at 40°F
The fruit is 1 1/2 inches long, oblong shaped with a wing to the base of the seed. The bark is gray colored with fissures that seperate scaly or shaggy plates. The inner bark will release a blue dye when crushed and soaked in water - and this is why it is called the blue ash.
Blue ash can be found in southern Ontario, Michigan to southern Wisconsin and southeastern Iowa, south to West Virginia, Alabama, and northeastern Oklahoma. Blue ash are less common than white ash; however, the two can be found together on high quality soil.
Diseases that Can Affect Blue Ash
Insects that Can Affect Blue Ash
- Emerald Ash Borer
- Ash Spider Mite
- Pear Sawfly or Pearslug
- Ash Plant Bug
- Ash Sawflies
- Ash/Lilac Borer
- Leafcutter Bees
- Oystershell Scale