Family: Oleaceae
Common Name: Raywood ash
Origin/Ecology: garden origin
Habit: Medium-sized deciduous tree with a compact, elegant habit, growing to 20-30 m tall.
Leaves: Pinnate, with dark green lanceolate leaflets turning red-purple in autumn. 15-25 cm long with 3-13 leaflets.
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite and whorled.
Flowers and Fruit: Flowers produced in inflorescences. Flowering occurs in early spring. Fruit is a samara, 3-4 cm long.
Bark: Smooth and pale grey on young trees, becoming square cracked and knobbly on old trees.
Water Use, Soil: Well-drained, moist soil. Can tolerate poorly drained soil.
Exposure: Full sun.
Landscape Uses: Woodland gardens, shade or street tree, fall colour.
Limitations: Brittle branches. Susceptible to borers, scales and white fly, root rot, sooty mold, verticillium.
Other Features: Planted a lot in 1990’s, taken out when falling apart.