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Southern Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Carolina Ash
Fraxinus caroliniana Mill.

JPG -- Species Photo GIF -- Distribution Map

Family: Ash (Oleaceae)
Flowering: May
Field Marks: This ash is distinguished by its flat fruits which are winged all the way to the base.
Habitat: Low pinelands, flatwoods, swamps, along streams, sloughs, oxbows, edges of ponds, often in standing water for a portion of the year.
Habit: Tree up to 39 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 12 inches.
Twigs: Gray to brown, hairy at first, usually smooth at maturity.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, usually with 5 or 7 leaflets; leaflets lanceolate to elliptic to ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering to the sometimes asymmetrical base, irregularly toothed or without teeth, smooth on the upper surface, smooth or short-hairy on the lower surface, up to 5 inches long, up to 2 1/2 inches wide.
Flowers: Male and female flowers borne separately and on different trees in clusters.
Sepals: Minute.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 2.
Pistils: Ovary superior.
Fruits: Samaras flat, winged all the way to the base, oblong to oblanceolate to elliptic, smooth, up to 2 inches long, up to 3/4 inch wide.
Notes: The fruits are sometimes 3-winged.

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Next Species -- Pumpkin Ash (Fraxinus profunda)

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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Aug-2006 11:39:25 EDT
Menlo Park, CA [caww54]