Black ash

Fraxinus nigra

''Fraxinus nigra'', the black ash, is a species of ash native to much of eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, from western Newfoundland west to southeastern Manitoba, and south to Illinois and northern Virginia. Formerly abundant, as of 2014 the species is threatened with near total extirpation throughout its range, as a result of infestation by a parasitic insect known as the emerald ash borer.
Fraxinus nigra (Black Ash) Fraxinus nigra (Black Ash) growing in a forested wetland. The bulbous base along with wide spreading roots help to stabilize the tree in the soggy soils where it grows. The roots of Black Ash are in some situations partially exposed above the wet soil. These roots will have many corky white growths called lenticels which help the tree exchange gases between its internal tissues and the atmosphere. Fraxinus nigra,Geotagged,Minnesota,Spring,United States,black ash,forested wetland,swamp,tree,wetland

Appearance

Black ash is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching 15–20 m tall with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter, or exceptionally to 160 cm . The bark is grey, thick and corky even on young trees, becoming scaly and fissured with age. The winter buds are dark brown to blackish, with a velvety texture. The leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, with 7–13 leaflets; each leaf is 20–45 cm long, the leaflets 7–16 cm long and 2.5–5 cm broad, with a finely toothed margin. The leaflets are sessile, directly attached to the rachis without a petiolule. The flowers are produced in spring shortly before the new leaves, in loose panicles; they are inconspicuous with no petals, and are wind-pollinated. The fruit is a samara 2.5–4.5 cm long comprising a single seed 2 cm long with an elongated apical wing 1.5–2 cm long and 6–8 mm broad.
Black Ash Swamp in the Early Spring A black ash swamp in the early spring before leaf out. The water source is from seeps and ephemeral springs. Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) is the dominant tree species in the canopy and sub-canopy with lesser amounts of Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Yellow Birch (Betula allegheniensis), and Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). The average diameter of the Black Ash is 23 cm. Some of the largest are over 30 cm in diameter. Most of the trees are between 45 and 55 years old but a few large ones are estimated to be almost a century. Fraxinus nigra,Geotagged,Spring,United States,black ash,black ash swamp,forested wetland,habitats,nigra,seeps,trees,wetland

Status

Black ash commonly occurs in swamps, often with the closely related green ash. Its fall foliage is yellow. Black ash is one of the first trees to lose its leaves in the fall. It is very closely related to Manchurian ash, and will easily hybridize with it. Some consider the two to be geographic isolates of each other.

The species was considered abundant and its survival of little concern prior to the invasion of the emerald ash borer, first detected in North America in 2002. However, since that time this invasive insect has spread throughout most of the tree's range, and within a few years black ash is expected to be all but extirpated; a similar fate awaits green ash. In 2014, a U.S. Forest Service agent estimated that "ninety-nine percent of the ashes in North America are probably going to die." Blue ash and white ash are only slightly less affected.

Habitat

Black ash commonly occurs in swamps, often with the closely related green ash. Its fall foliage is yellow. Black ash is one of the first trees to lose its leaves in the fall. It is very closely related to Manchurian ash, and will easily hybridize with it. Some consider the two to be geographic isolates of each other.

The species was considered abundant and its survival of little concern prior to the invasion of the emerald ash borer, first detected in North America in 2002. However, since that time this invasive insect has spread throughout most of the tree's range, and within a few years black ash is expected to be all but extirpated; a similar fate awaits green ash. In 2014, a U.S. Forest Service agent estimated that "ninety-nine percent of the ashes in North America are probably going to die." Blue ash and white ash are only slightly less affected.

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Status: Critically endangered
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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderLamiales
FamilyOleaceae
GenusFraxinus
SpeciesF. nigra
Photographed in
United States of America