Ash — Forest Farm Peace Garden

Common Name: Common Ash

Genus & Species: Fraxinus excelsior L.

Family: Oleaceae

Other Names: European Ash

Range and Habitat: Ash thrives best in fertile, deep and well-drained soil in cool atmospheres. It is native to Europe, Asia Minor and Africa and is also found from the Arctic Circle to Turkey. It is the third most common tree in Britain. It is often found as a pioneer species and colonises urban areas readily.

General ID: Ash is a large deciduous tree growing to 12–18m (exceptionally to 43m) tall with a trunk up to 2m (exceptionally to 3.5m) diameter, with a tall, narrow crown. The bark is smooth and pale grey on young trees, becoming thick and vertically fissured on old trees. The shoots are stout, greenish-grey, with jet black buds, somewhat resembling pointed hooves.

Leaves are pinnately compound, typically comprising 3–6 opposite pairs of light green, oval leaflets with tips up to 40cm long. There is an additional singular 'terminal' leaflet at the end. The leaves can move in the direction of sunlight, and sometimes the whole crown of the tree may lean in the direction of the sun. Another characteristic of ash leaves, is that they fall when they are still green.

Ash is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers typically grow on different trees, although a single tree can also have male and female flowers on different branches. Both male and female flowers are purple and appear before the leaves in spring, growing in spiked clusters at the tips of twigs. Once the female flowers have been pollinated by wind, they develop into conspicuous winged fruits or ‘samaras’ which hang in bunches on the branches and are collectively known as 'keys', in late summer and autumn. They fall from the tree in winter and early spring, aided by the wing on the fruit, and are then further dispersed by birds and mammals.

For food… The immature seed can pickled by steeping in salt and vinegar, and then used as a condiment for other foods or added to cheeses, coleslaws, pickles, kimchi or similar. The leaves are sometimes used as an adulterant for tea. A manna (edible gum) is obtained from the tree. Ash trees are in the olive family (Oleaceae) and produce an edible oil from the seed that is chemically similar to olive oil, whilst others consider it more similar to sunflower (Helianthus annuus) oil.

For healing… The leaves are astringent, cathartic, diaphoretic, mildly diuretic, laxative and purgative. The have been used as a laxative, making a mild substitute for senna pods. If being used medicinally, the leaves should be gathered in June, well dried and stored in airtight containers. The bark is antiperiodic, astringent and a bitter tonic. Although seldom used in modern herbalism, it is occasionally taken in the treatment of fevers. The seeds, including their wings, have been used as a carminative. They will store for 12 months if gathered when ripe.

In culture… Ash has been a favoured timber tree for years. Individual trees can live to a grand old age of 400 years – even longer if coppiced, the stems traditionally providing wood for firewood and charcoal. It lacks oak's natural resistance to decay, and is not as suitable for posts buried in the ground. Despite this, it is one of the toughest hardwoods and absorbs shocks without splintering. It is the wood of choice for making tools and sport handles, including hammers, axes, spades, oars, tennis rackets, snooker cues, hockey sticks and the ‘hurleys’ used in hurling. Indeed, so great is the importance of ash timber to the game of hurling that the game is referred to all over Ireland as "The Clash of the Ash". An attractive wood, it is also prized for furniture, often being used green to make chairs or similar items. In the 19th century ash was commonly used to construct carriages, and Britain’s Morgan Motor Company still grows ash to make the frames for its cars. A green dye is obtained from the leaves. The bark is a source of tannin. A tying material can be obtained from the wood.

The ash has many associations with magic, myth and folklore. It features in the 13th-century Norse Eddas (epic poems) where in Norse mythology, the ash tree Yggdrasil was the 'Tree of Life', watered by three magical springs. It was regarded as the axis mundi – connecting the earth with the realms of the gods and sustaining the nine worlds of the cosmos in its roots and branches. The first man on Earth was said to have come from an ash tree.

It was also thought to have mystical properties and the wood was burned to ward off evil spirits. Even today it is sometimes known as the 'Venus of the woods'. In Britain, druids regarded the ash as sacred and their wands were, and still are, often made of ash because of its straight grain.

On the Isle of Bute in Scotland, lovers reportedly used to eat leaves of an ash tree known as the "Dreamin' Tree" that grew near the church of St Blane, and the pleasant dreams they then experienced revealed their actual spouses and intended fates.

For wildlife… Ash trees make the perfect habitat for a number of different species of wildlife. The Biological Records Centre of the UK records 111 species of insects and mites using ash as a food plant, of which 29 are specific to ash. The airy canopy and early leaf fall allow sunlight to reach the woodland floor, providing optimum conditions for wild flowers such as dog violet (Viola riviniana), wild garlic (Allium ursinum) and dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis). In turn, these support a range of insects such as the rare and threatened high brown fritillary butterfly (Fabriciana adippe).Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) eat the seeds and woodpeckers, owls, redstarts (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and nuthatches (Sitta europaea) use the trees for nesting. Because the trees are so long lived, they support deadwood specialists such as the lesser stag beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus). Ash is regularly accompanied by a hazel understorey, providing the ideal conditions for dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius).Ash bark is often covered with lichens and mosses. The leaves are an important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of moth, including the coronet (Craniophora ligustri), brick (Agrochola circellaris), centre-barred sallow (Atethmia centrago) and privet hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri).

The main threat to ash trees is ash dieback, also known as Chalara dieback. This is a disease caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (previously Chalara fraxinea). Ash dieback causes trees to lose their leaves and the crown to die back, and usually results in their death. It is thought that tens of thousands of ash trees will die, potentially changing the UK landscape forever. It can affect ash trees of all ages. Younger trees succumb to the disease quicker but in general, all affected trees will have these symptoms:

Leaves develop dark patches in the summer.
They then wilt and discolour to black. Leaves might shed early.
Dieback of the shoots and leaves is visible in the summer.
Lesions develop where branches meet the trunk. These are often diamond-shaped and dark brown.
Inner bark looks brownish-grey under the lesions.
New growth from previously dormant buds further down the trunk. This is known as epicormic growth and is a common response to stress in trees.

Check the interactive map to check if you are in an area that has no ash dieback. If you are and think you have spotted the signs and symptoms report them through TreeAlert

At FFPG… At FFPG a stately ash tree can be found at the rear of the rockery area, near the grape vines and willow tunnel.

Disclaimer:

This is intended for information only. FFPG, its staff, trustees and volunteers do not make any claim as to the safety or efficacy of plants listed for medicinal purposes and do not encourage the consumption or use of any of the plants listed herein. Anybody wishing to use plants for medicinal effect is advised to consult their medical professional.