Red Ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica

  • Red Ash. [Date Accessed: July 15, 2008].

 

Nomenclature

  • Fraxinus pennsylvanica
  • Family: Oleaceae

 

Botany and Ecology:

  • Tree height: 30’- 60’
  • Tree diameter: 1’- 3’
  • Leaves are broad, flat, pinnately compound, are opposite, have toothed margins
  • Fruit is single winged, has a seed cavity, fruit is straight, long, and narrow
  • Grows in the rich, moist soil of bottomlands and stream banks
  • Wood is hard, strong, and brittle
  • Distribution:
    • US: AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, WYAL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, IS, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA,RI, SC, SD TN TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY
    • Canada: AB, MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK

 

Uses:

  • Edible:
    • Inner bark cooked is said to taste like eggs
    • Inner bark can be dried and turned into a powder and used in soups and cereals
  • Medicinal:
    • Infusion made with the inner bark is used to treat depression and fatigue
    • Root is a diuretic

·        Other:

    • Bark used as a red dye
    • Basketry

 

Conservation:

 

Markets and Vendors:

 

Sources: