Ash is considered the “tree of peace.” In the old days, it enlivened life and gave a person strength. Beads, amulets and runes were made from wood. Ash gets its name from its openwork crown. The tree allows so much sunlight through its thick foliage that it is transparent and there is always a lot of light underneath.
You can verify this by looking at an ash tree. Where does this tree grow, what types of ash can be found in our country, descriptions and photos of different varieties - the secrets of the plant only on the Agronom.guru portal.
Tall slender tree - ash
Ash - brief botanical information
Ash (Fraxinus) belongs to the olive family and is translated from Latin as “ash tree.” The plant has a fibrous root system, an oblong, expanding crown. In most varieties, the flowers are collected in snow-white inflorescences; in some species they can be purple or burgundy.
For good pollination, you need to plant several plants.
Ash flowers without scent
The bark of the tree is smooth, light gray in color. An adult plant can reach 30 m, but there are species - giants, up to 60 m in height and 40 m in width. The crown consists of flexible branches facing upward. The fruits of the tree are long, oblong in shape, on average 5 cm, ripen in mid-autumn and are stored until the end of winter.
Lionfish have a round shape at the bottom and a small notch at the top
All types of ash tolerate severe frosts, love a lot of light and grow well in neutral-acid fertile soil. The tree lives up to 350 years, the first fruiting occurs at 20 years.
Distribution[edit | edit code ]
Common ash can be found almost everywhere in forests and parks, in plantings along roads and railways. Prefers moist, fertile, neutral or similar soils. It grows very quickly, in the forest-steppe zone it reaches a height of up to 30 meters, and in the south up to 60 meters. Can be found in ravine forests, and occasionally in floodplain forests. In Russia, it is distributed in the Volga region, the Central Black Earth region, and the Tver region. Ash-leaved maple is also often mistakenly called “ash”.
Ash: where it grows
The tree is widespread in our country, found in Africa, North America and the Far East. Here it can be seen in a mixed forest, next to oaks, alders and maples. And also along river banks, near lakes and reservoirs.
Ash can be found both in parks and squares, and in mixed forests
Distinctive features
Ash is used in almost all areas. Used for production:
- medicines;
- sport equipment;
- pistol butt;
- paints;
- furniture;
- hives.
The wood of the tree is strong and silky, with a purple or pink tint. It has high viscosity and does not produce flakes. The tree has a disadvantage: the tree is quickly exposed to the wormhole, so anything made from ash must be treated with an antiseptic.
Many people in the arts use the roots of the plant, which is very similar to the olive tree, to make various items and decorations. Ash fruits are also used in cooking; they are used to make salads and spices. Unripe fruits are pickled and added to meat dishes.
Medicinal properties of ash and traditional medicine
All parts of the plant are used for treatment: bark, leaves, fruits and roots, as they have diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and laxative effects. The plant has also found use in folk medicine for the treatment of radiculitis, cough and rapid healing of wounds.
Several proven ash recipes:
- To prevent the wound from becoming inflamed and to heal quickly, it is necessary to chop the leaves and bark, apply it to the wound and change the bandage 2-3 times a day.
- For radiculitis, prepare a decoction: 250 ml of boiling water is poured into 25 g of dry leaves. Let it brew for about half an hour. The prepared decoction is drunk three times a day, 50 ml.
- For bronchitis, make an infusion: 35 g of dry leaves are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water. Let it brew, strain and drink 100 ml three times a day.
- To boost immunity, drink 100 ml of root tincture for 14 days.
Wood is valued not only for its beauty
Types of ash
Ash is the most numerous and popular species of the olive family. There are more than 50 species, mostly deciduous trees, but there are also bushy varieties.
Pennsylvanian
Pennsylvania ash, or downy ash, grows up to 25 meters in height. Young branches are lying around and covered with dark brown bark. The leaf blade is pinnate, consists of 9 dark olive leaves that do not change color in autumn and turn green. The inflorescences are pale green, without aroma.
This species grows quickly, gaining about 50 cm in height and 30 cm in width within a year. Lives up to 350 years. Ash grows in fertile soil and in a sunny location. Although the variety is frost-resistant, it is not recommended to grow it in the northern regions.
The plant prefers humidity, so it needs regular watering.
Ordinary
Common or tall ash (Fraxinus excelsior) reaches significant sizes. There are quite massive specimens - 40 M. The bark is gray-green, which with age becomes ashy and becomes covered with cracks.
The buds produce strange feathery leaves of light green color. Snow-white inflorescences appear in early spring before foliage. After flowering, fruits are formed: lionfish, the length of which reaches 5 cm, the fruits are light olive in color, turn brown and begin to ripen in the fall. They can continue to germinate all winter.
The countries of Europe and the Caucasus are considered the homeland of tall ash. Grows on fertile, slightly alkaline soil. In the southern regions of Russia, ash is grown as an ornamental plant to decorate a personal plot.
Common ash has a high openwork crown
Manchurian
As you can guess from the name, this species came to our country from Manchuria, China, Japan and Korea. Grows in forests, on nutritious soils, next to Japanese elm and Maksimovich poplar. The centenarian grows up to 350 years.
The tree is dioecious; during flowering it is covered with flowers of different sexes. The variety has an erect trunk, from which branches extend obliquely. Reaches up to 35 m in height and up to 15 m in diameter.
Manchurian ash is distinguished by its unique shape and type of leaves
The bark is brown or ash-colored, with small cracks and longitudinal ribs up to 5 cm thick. Flowering begins in May and continues until September. In place of the flowers, fruits appear - lionfish, which persist until spring. In the ripening phase they become olive.
Upon completion of maturation, the flat lionfish acquires a brown tint.
Chinese
Chinese ash, or ailanthus, is a light-loving palm-shaped plant native to northern China. It grows throughout Russia and is widely used for landscape settlements. The trunk is gray-brown in color with a grooved structure of thin bark. The leaves are large, very similar to palm trees, reaching a length of 60 cm. Yellow-green flowers are collected in large paniculate inflorescences. Flowering begins in mid-summer. After the flowers, small red-brown fruits are formed that stand out against the foliage of the olive tree.
Ash flowers do not have a very pleasant aroma
This type of ash grows quickly; at the age of five years the tree reaches 5 m. Chinese ash, or the tree of the gods, loves a lot of light and warmth. At a young age, the plant is not frost-resistant, but the frozen crown is well restored due to the rapid growth of young shoots. Thanks to its powerful roots, the plant can grow in open and windy areas.
Due to its rich chemical composition, leaves, bark, flowers and fruits are used in medicine. Fresh bark treats dysentery, flowers and foliage treat scarlet fever and diphtheria, and the fruits are prescribed for diseases of the genitourinary system. The leaves have antiviral and antimicrobial properties. Decoctions are made from the leaves and taken for fever.
The bark and leaves have irritant properties; When collecting raw materials, a pustular or blistering rash may appear.
Chinese ash is unpretentious to grow and grows well in moist loamy soil.
American
Tall slender tree with an ovoid crown. The leaf is complex, quite large, reaches 30 cm in length, consists of 5-9 leaf blades. American ash blooms in the first half of spring, before young leaves appear. Fruiting begins at the end of summer. The fruits are rich in fats, which is why birds love them and people use them in cooking. Begins to bear fruit from 25 to 40 years. The species is unpretentious and grows on slightly acidic fertile soil. Has difficulty withstanding dry weather. In natural growing conditions it is found next to oaks, alders and maples. Widely used in folk medicine. The bark and leaves are used to treat radiculitis, the seeds are used for coughs, dropsy and liver diseases.
One of the most revered trees in the Caucasus
Black
Black or brown ash, compared to other members of this family, is relatively small in size - no more than 20 m in height. The species is widespread in North America; it grows in marshy soils and along river banks, so it is not afraid of stagnant water in the soil.
The plant is frost-resistant and does not produce inflorescences. At the age of five, the tree grows up to 2 m. The leaf is complex, consists of 5-10 leaf blades of bright olive color.
Ash is valued for its beauty, which is why it is widely used in landscape decoration.
Meaning and application[edit | edit code]
Used for decorative, protective and reclamation afforestation. Looks good in garden ensembles and alley plantings.
Known varieties[3]:
- Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'[4] - with yellowish-green foliage that darkens in autumn.
- Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea Pendula'[5]
- Fraxinus excelsior 'Diversifolia'[6]
- Fraxinus excelsior 'Pendula'[7] is a weeping form: the branches hang down to the ground.
Common ash wood is very durable, beautiful in texture and color; easy to process.
Young shoots can serve as food for livestock; in forests they are readily eaten by deer and elk.
When flowering in April - May, it provides pollen to honey bees[8].
Ash tree – photo and description
Ash is a deciduous tree with a clear, pale crown. A mature tree grows up to 40 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter. It is easily recognized by its thin trunk, covered with dark gray bark with small cracks. Ash wood is used to make furniture facades. Thanks to its transparent crown, the tree is used for landscaping garden plots, city parks and public gardens. The tree's root system is close to the surface.
Ash is unpretentious and can grow on any soil, but most of all it prefers fertile soils with medium acidity. Most species do not have a taproot. If an ash tree grows in arid regions, the tree develops a tap root and develops horizontal branches. There are species that can drink themselves, obtaining water from a depth of 3 m.
Deciduous tree with a thin and beautiful trunk
Ash seeds - photo and description
Ash seeds are lionfish that appear in early fall. They reach 5 cm in length and have a dark olive color, gradually turning into brown. The seeds are used to make oil, which is then used to make soap and paints. In addition, the seeds are widely used in folk medicine.
Ash is a poisonous plant and should be used as a medicine strictly under the supervision of a physician.
Ash seeds can germinate in unexpected places, so the tree can become an uninvited guest in the garden.
Seed collection for the winter is carried out at the end of autumn
Ash leaves - photo and description
The leaves of the tree are opposite and begin to bloom after the ash tree blooms. Leaf blades alternate transversely. Up to 15 small dark green leaves grow on one cut.
The leaves rarely turn yellow, but the tree rejects them green
Fruits - photo and description
The fruits are egg-shaped, about 5 cm, inside the lion fish there is an oval-shaped nut. The fruits can remain on the tree until mid-winter or early spring. In many species they are edible and contain a lot of fat and protein. Green fruits are pickled for the winter and used as a seasoning for meat; in some countries they are added to national dishes.
Ash fruits remain on the tree all winter
Myths about white ash
The beauty of the tree and ash leaves (photo presented in the article) has long been liked by people. In ancient legends you can find myths about the involvement of ash in the appearance of people on Earth. The Scandinavian gods - Odin, Vili and Ve - created a man from ash and a woman from alder. God Odin breathed a soul into them and gave them life, the next god Vili gave them reason and taught them to move, and the last god Ve infused them with 5 senses.
After death, warriors who fell on the battlefield (in the beliefs of the ancient Scandinavians) end up in Odin’s Garden of Eden, where they continue their military work. In the middle of the promised land called Valhalla stands a huge ash tree. A goat that eats its leaves produces a full cup of honey every day instead of milk. And a deer eating its branches has an inexhaustible source of water flowing from its antlers, which flows underground.
Historians believe that ancient beliefs are closely related to the properties of white or semolina ash, which releases sweet sap from its branches when cut.
How many years does an ash tree live?
The average lifespan of a tree is about 100 years. There are long-lived species, their age can reach 350 years. The longest-lived single “living” specimens grow in fertile soil and in a sunny location. Ash trees growing in dense forests quickly die due to lack of light.
Ash is best grown in a sunny place
When the ash tree blooms
Flowering occurs in early spring. Both female and male flowers bloom on the tree, which have paniculate inflorescences in the form of thin fluff of snow-white, yellowish or purple color. Female flowers are pollinated from neighboring trees, as male flowers appear much later. Due to its lack of odor, the tree rarely attracts insects.
Flowers lack perianth
Origin of the name of the tree
Vladimir Dal believes that the name of the tree comes from the word “clear” (light). He explains this by saying that the crown of the tree is quite sparse, the branches are sparse and a lot of sunlight passes through the foliage.
Fraxinus (the scientific name of the tree) is translated from Latin as spear. Most likely, the plant received this name because of the shape of the leaves, thin and pointed at the end.
Rules for planting ash trees
Ash trees are planted to strengthen slopes and ravines. Thanks to the root system, the tree prevents the soil from crumbling and helps prevent it from drying out. In landscape decoration, the plant is planted in personal plots.
If ash is grown on the site, it is necessary to choose varieties that do not form dense shade.
It is best to plant ash seedlings in an open area and in fertile, slightly acidic soil. For planting, a hole is dug, which should be twice the size of the root system. Inside we put drainage, sand and soil moistened ¼. We install the seedling and carefully cover it with soil, making sure that no air cushion is formed.
After planting, the soil is compacted and mulched. If several seedlings are planted, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 5 m from each other. To make the tree slender, young seedlings are tied to pegs on both sides.
In the first five years of its life, the tree must be insulated for the winter.
Care and disease control
If the place for planting an ash tree is chosen correctly, the tree can grow up to 40 cm in height in the first year. In spring and autumn, ash needs feeding. Both organic and mineral dressings are suitable for this.
The tree will need to be watered only in hot summer. The parasite very rarely settles on ash trees. If a bark beetle or ash tree is detected, it is treated with insecticides.
With good care, ash will be an excellent addition to landscape design
Growing from seeds
Knowing what ash looks like, you can collect seeds in the fall and use them for summer planting next year; in the fall, they are planted only under exceptionally favorable weather conditions and in warm climatic areas.
Before planting, the seeds are calibrated and immersed in pre-dug soil to a depth of no more than 5 cm; seedlings should appear at the end of May; they require regular care, for this purpose weeding, watering and loosening the soil are carried out.
Applications of ash for various purposes
Ash is a tree that can be used both in industry and for the production of medicines:
- The bark and leaves are used to make blue, black and brown dyes. Fresh leaves are fed to livestock.
- Infusions, decoctions and tinctures are prepared from sprouts, bark, roots, leaves and flowers.
- Pickle unripe fruits. After pickling, young fruits acquire the aroma of pickled nuts. In the Caucasus, they are added to meat dishes as a spicy herb. In European countries they are used in the preparation of vinegar. They go well with meat and vegetables due to their spicy taste and aroma.
- Since wood has high physical and mechanical properties, it is used to make furniture, plywood, beehives, sports equipment and propellers for light aircraft.
- Sculptors sculpt unforgettable figures from ash logs, and artists paint fantastic images on the bark.
- In landscape decor. Ash is used for alley and single plantings, as well as near a pond.
Ash is the tree from which God created man
Usage
There is also a lot of information about the amazing properties of ash. Thanks to its unpretentiousness and its rapid growth, ash is a fairly valuable tree for creating parks and alleys, lining roads, and landscaping the city. Even in complex compositions it has an excellent appearance.
Products made from ash were durable and moderately heavy. Many types of weapons were made from it. These included war clubs, stakes with spears, bows, and even spears and arrows. It is not surprising that ancient people considered ash a symbol of war .
But peaceful people also found wide use for it.
It was made from:
- rocker arms;
- sled;
- wheels;
- souvenirs;
- and small crafts.
Dishes made from this material were in great demand, the only decoration of which was the light and shiny texture of the wood itself. And even in shipbuilding, ash boards were known!
Nowadays, the functionality of this tree has expanded significantly:
- facing material;
- gymnastic bars;
- parquet;
- aircraft parts;
- items of sports equipment;
- oars;
- skis;
- tennis rocket;
- turning products and so on.
Car manufacturing, aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding can hardly do without this valuable wood. Plywood and furniture, tool handles and stair railings are often made from ash.
Its fruits contain fatty oils that are used as food. The people of the Caucasus prepare them unripe with vinegar and salt. as a seasoning with meat or fish. And you can even preserve it by carefully chopping it first.
The seeds can be used to extract a dark green oil that is used to make paint, soap and artificial rubber.
Since the bark contains a lot of tannins, paint from it is usually brown, black or blue.
Interesting Facts
- Ash in common people has several names: holly, ash, ash. In nature, it often grows next to oak trees. Looking at the trees, you could tell what the summer would be like. If the oak tree shows its leaves first, it will be hot and dry.
- The Greeks used plant sap for snake bites.
- In Russia, the tree bark was used as a remedy for malaria and fever.
- In magic, ash personifies good and evil and has powerful energy.
- Many peoples worshiped the tree. It was called the “tree of knowledge” and was considered a symbol of life and wisdom.
We will be very pleased if in this article the reader learns new and interesting facts about ash. If anything is unclear, you can ask questions in the comments below. Our editors will be happy to answer all readers.
You can find out what ash looks like from the video provided:
