Ash Management Guide for Private Forest Landowners

Chapter 2MinnesotaAsh SpeciesIdentificationAsh trees are difficult to describeand can be tough toidentify. Out inthe woods, ash trees donot have the flashy,distinctive whitebark of birchtrees, nor are theymajestic giants thateasily tower above thecanopy like our stately whitepine. However, ash does have itsown distinction. They are one of thelast tree species to leaf out in the springtime- and one of the first trees to dropits leaves in autumn.Learning to identify Minnesota’sash trees will deepen your appreciationof our woods, and for a landowner, it’sthe first important step in learning howto care for your land. Take your timeand practice throughout each of Min-Avoid ConfusionBoxelder (Acer negundo) is a memberof the maple family and has oppositebranching and 3-5 compound leaves.There are other woody plants thathave ‘ash’ in their names and are nottrue ash species, like prickly ash ormountain ash. These are not susceptibleto an attack by EAB.nesota’s four seasons - and when all elsefails ask your kids!The classical Latin namefor ash is “Fraxinus”meaning“spear.” Ash aremembers ofthe Oleaceae,or theolive family.The flowersfrom the treesare pollinated frominsects or through wind.Members of the ash familyhave the ability to reproducethrough seeds, and vegetativelythrough stump sprouts.There are about 65 species of ashtrees, mainly found throughout thetemperate regions of the NorthernHemisphere, but also ranging southwardinto the tropics. Minnesotaforests are home to three of the 18species found in the United States:• White ash• Black ash• Green ashLet’s take a closer look:White ash- Fraxinus americanaWhite ash stands tall as a for-White Ash10