| Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
Irish Fuinnseog (Family - Oleaceae)
Description: Magnificent large decidious tree with distinctive black buds in spring. Can be coppiced. Height 45 m. Age up to 200 years.
Where found: Mostly calcerous soils although found on all except poorest and acids soils (above 5.5 ph). Prefers moist but well drained fertile soils. Up to 450m in altitude. Grows well in mixed stands provided not shaded. Natural distribution throughout British Isles and Europe into Asia Minor and Caucuses. Rare north of Great Glen in Scotland.
Phenology timeline:
Flowers: Apreil
Leaves: May
Fruit: June
Ripen: October
Fall: September
Uses past & present: Pale creamy wood that is strong and elastic. Uses of wood includes - Hockey sticks, oars, paddles, rudders, billiard cues, cricket stumps, polo sticks and policemen's truncheons. Also used for veneer and furniture. Burns fragrantly when green or dried due to low water content even when green (30 - 35%) but seasoning ( to 15% water) does improve efficiency.
Progagation & growth: Grow from seed - deeply doormant - treat as per Acer campestre. Long thin brown seeds approx 2.5cm long. Aprrox 8000 germinable seeds per Kg. Seeds form in large sprays. If planted green seeds may germinate following spring or even straight away whereas brown seeds will germinate the second spring after planting. Grows quickly to 20 - 40 years old but growth stops at 60 years.
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