5 Native Ash Trees In Mississippi (Photos & Identification)
Common ash trees, like the white ash and the green ash, stand tall in the woods and cities of Mississippi. They are known for their majestic height, beautiful leaves, and valuable hardwood. These famous trees have always been a big part of the natural beauty and cultural history of the state.
But the constant spread of the emerald ash borer, a destructive beetle that is killing ash trees all over North America, including in this state, is a big problem for the peace of Mississippi’s ash tree landscape. The ash trees, which used to grow well, are now dead because of this invasive pest.
As people who care about the environment, we can all do important things to help Mississippi’s conservation efforts. By planting these beautiful trees in our backyards, we can do a lot to protect the future of these important ash trees.
We have gathered thorough information to help you get started on your journey toward comprehending and caring for common ash trees in Mississippi.
Let us explore the fascinating world of ash trees in Mississippi and accept our duty as guardians of the environment.
1. Blue Ash
- Common Name: Blue Ash
- Scientific Name: Fraxinus quadrangulata Michx.
- Mature Height: 70.0’ – 100.0’
- Native Range: North America
- Flowers/Cones/Fruit: Flowers are monoecious, perfect, naked, and in loose panicles.
- Uses: Attracts birds and the timber is of some value in the manufacture of flooring. The sap can also be used to produce a blue dye for cloth.
Blue Ash, scientifically known as Fraxinus quadrangulata Michx., is a tall tree that can grow to be 70.0′ – 100.0′ tall. It is mostly found in the Ohio and Upper Mississippi River Valleys, although it can also be found in other states such as Ontario, Michigan, and Arkansas.
The tree bears odd-pinnately compound leaves, which are made up of leaflets that alternate on the stem in an alternating manner. Because the leaves are deciduous, they fall off the tree in the autumn. Blue Ash leaves are yellowish green on top and green on the bottom.
The tree blooms and bears fruit. The flowers are purple and can be male or female, indicating that some contain stamens (male reproductive parts) and others have pistils (female reproductive parts). The samara fruit is oblong with a rounded wing. When grown, it has a golden tan tint. The fruit of Blue Ash is well-recognized for attracting birds.
Blue Ash has gray bark with flat scaly plates of various diameters. The tree is medium in height and grows at a medium rate. It has a lifespan of more than 50 years. Blue Ash grows best in rich, dry soil and is sensitive to shade and anaerobic conditions.
Although Blue Ash timber can be used to make flooring, it is not generally available. The inner bark of the tree can also be used to make a blue dye for cloth. As a result, the tree earned the widespread name “blue ash,” because the sap turns blue when exposed to air.
2. Carolina Ash
- Common Name: Carolina Ash
- Scientific Name: Fraxinus caroliniana P. Mill.
- Mature Height: Up to 39.0 feet
- Native Range: From Washington D.C. to Florida, along the Gulf Coastal Plain to Texas
- Flowers/Cones/Fruit: Small, apetalous flowers
- Uses: Landscaping
Carolina Ashes are the shortest ash trees in Mississippi that may grow only up to 39 feet tall, often referred to as water ash, pop ash, or swamp ash.
It is frequently discovered in deep river wetlands that experience seasonal flooding. A darker green hue can be seen on the upper surface and a milder green color can be found on the bottom surface of the Carolina Ash’s deciduous leaves. Small blooms are produced by the tree before leaves do.
The slender twigs of the Carolina Ash are greenish gray in youth and turn brown or gray as they age. Additionally, the tree features chestnut-brown, ovate-acute buds. The Carolina Ash has thin, gray bark with erratic scaly ridges.
The Carolina Ash is indigenous to a vast area, starting in Washington D.C. and westward along the Gulf Coastal Plain to Texas, down to Florida. It can withstand shade and has a high anaerobic tolerance level. Without the need for cold stratification, the tree can grow from seeds.
Due to its light, frail, and fragile wood, Carolina Ash has no economic timber value in terms of its uses. However, due to its attractive attributes and capacity to withstand damp soils, it is frequently utilized for landscaping purposes.
3. Pumpkin Ash
- Common Name: Pumpkin Ash
- Scientific Name: Fraxinus profunda
- Mature Height: 80.0′ – 120.0′
- Native Range: Southern Maryland and southeastern Virginia to northern Florida, and west to Louisiana; also from southern Illinois and Indiana, south through southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas.
- Flowers/Cones/Fruit: Purple-green staminate flowers and white pistillate flowers.
- Uses: Wildlife food, high-quality lumber, and dimension material used for handles and implements.
Pumpkin Ash, also known as Fraxinus profunda, is one of the tallest ash trees in Mississippi that can reach heights of 80 to 120 feet.
It has big leaves that can grow to be 9 to 18 inches long and with 7 to 9 leaflets. The leaves are green on top and lighter on the bottom. Pumpkin Ash twigs are thick and gray, with young twigs being hairy.
The tree produces samaras, which are yellow-green while young and turn brownish-gray when grown. Pumpkin Ash flowers are either purplish-green or white and grow in elongated, branching clusters.
Pumpkin Ash is endemic to sections of Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Arkansas in the United States. It’s most common in river bottoms, wetlands, and floodplains. It grows in soil that is fine to medium-grained and has a pH range of 4.5 to 5.9. The tree is shade tolerant and may live in wet environments.
Wood ducks and other bird species consume the fruits of the Pumpkin Ash. White-tailed deer eat the young twigs and leaves as well. The tree is also valuable for its timber, which is used to make factory lumber, dimension material, and implement handles.
Pumpkin Ash is a commercially available plant that may be suitable for landscaping low regions. The name “Pumpkin Ash” derives from the shape of the tree’s base when grown in swampy areas, which resembles a pumpkin, and “profunda” refers to the deep locations where it is found.
4. White Ash
- Common Name: White Ash or Biltmore Ash
- Scientific Name: Fraxinus americana L.
- Mature Height: Up to 90.0 feet
- Native Range: Nova Scotia; south to northern Florida; west to eastern Texas; north to eastern Minnesota; in Mississippi, throughout except the Mississippi River Delta counties
- Flowers/Cones/Fruit: Small green flowers; oblong to spatulate pale brown fruit called samara, which are single and found in clusters.
- Uses: Wildlife food and wood are used for fuelwood, lumber, and other products such as handles, oars, and baseball bats.
White Ash, often referred to as Biltmore Ash or Cane Ash, is a kind of tree with broad, deciduous leaves that develop in an unusual, compound pattern with odd-shaped pinnate.
The tops of the leaves have a darker shade of green than the bottoms. They appear in sets of 5 to 9 long, wide leaflets, each with serrated edges. The tree has reasonably strong twigs that range in thickness from green to gray-brown and have broad concave leaf scars and big light lenticels. The scales on its big, spherical buds range in color from dark brown to brownish black.
There are distinct male and female blooms on the tree’s small, green flowers, which are dioecious. The female flowers feature two spreading dark purple stigmatic lobes, whereas the male blooms are green with purple anthers.
Samara, the name for the White Ash’s fruit, is an oblong to spatulate shape with a light brown tint. These 1-2 inch long, 0.25-inch broad fruits are borne in clusters.
White Ash is a tall tree with a maximum height of 90.0 feet. It can live for more than 50 years and has a moderate growth rate. The soils in uplands and bottomlands near streams must be rich, moist, and well-drained for the tree to thrive. It is indigenous to a considerable portion of North America, ranging from eastern Texas to eastern Minnesota and from Nova Scotia to northern Florida.
There are several uses for the tree. Wood ducks, bobwhite finches, purple finches, pine grosbeaks, and fox squirrels all eat their seeds. White Ash wood is highly prized and used for lumber, nursery stock, and as fuel. It is renowned for being robust, sturdy, and extremely shock-resistant, making it ideal for ties, baseball bats, cabinets, handles, and other heavy objects.
White Ash is utilized in landscaping in addition to its practical applications. Its tree form is regarded as attractive, and it can be planted in yards or along streets. The tree can endure a range of soil textures, although its fall color is not particularly striking.
Interestingly, White Ash leaf juice has been applied topically to reduce the swelling and itching caused by mosquito bites, and the leaves were once thought to offer protection from rattlesnakes if kept in one’s boots or pockets.
5. Green Ash
- Common Name: Green Ash
- Scientific Name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.
- Mature Height: 70.0 feet
- Native Range: Central Montana and northeastern Wyoming to southeastern Texas, east to northwestern Florida, and north to Nova Scotia, Mississippi
- Flowers/Cones/Fruit: Purplish-red flowers.
- Uses: The wood of the Green Ash is used to make tool handles, furniture, and interior furnishings. It is also popular for fuelwood and is widely used in revegetation projects.
Green ash is a deciduous tree with a height of up to 70 feet and is sometimes referred to as red ash, swamp ash, or water ash. Its pinnately compound leaves have many leaflets and are both dark green on top and lighter green on the underside.
The Green Ash produces enormous samaras, which are paddle-shaped winged seed clusters that encapsulate the seeds. Additionally, it contains tiny, purplish-red blooms.
The Green Ash’s twigs are grayish green in hue and have tight, gray bark. This tree can be found in arid and upland areas, as well as along streams and floodplains. In contrast to its low tolerance for anaerobic conditions, it can endure shade, medium drought, and fire.
Green Ash is crucial for wildlife since many animals and birds consume its seeds. Birds, rabbits, deer, squirrels, and sharp-tailed grouse are attracted to it. Its protein potential is, however, modest.
The Green Ash is a common shade tree in home landscaping. It may be adapted to a variety of settings and has a good form. In addition, it is comparatively pest- and disease-free.
Similar Articles
- Native Flowering Trees In Mississippi
- Common Fruit Trees In Mississippi
- Common Palm Trees In Mississippi
- Native Pine Trees In Mississippi
- Native Oak Trees In Mississippi
- Common Birch Trees In Mississippi
- Native Elm Trees In Mississippi
- Native Magnolia Trees In Mississippi
- Native White Flowering Trees In Mississippi
- Common Pink Flowering Trees In Mississippi
- Native Purple Trees In Mississippi
- Native Plum & Cherry Trees In Mississippi
- Native Maple Trees In Mississippi
- Native Cypress Trees In Mississippi
- Native Hickory Trees In Mississippi
- Native Nut Trees In Mississippi
Native Ash Trees In Mississippi – Sources
The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. Some of these sources are peer-reviewed journals from government agencies, well-known universities, and scientific research organizations.
- Native Trees For Mississippi Landscapes, Mississippi State University Extension.
- Mississippi Trees, Publications Of Mississippi Forestry Commission.
- Department Of Plant & Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University Extension.
- Tree Care, Mississippi Urban Forest Council.
