Ash, Red

The Red Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica var pennsylvanica), closely related to the Green Ash, is nearly identical except for its hairy leaves, stalks, and twigs, compared to the hairless Green Ash. Typically reaching heights of 50 feet, the Red Ash features short trunks and irregular branching structures, resulting in an open-grown tree. It is short-lived and fast-growing, with a lifespan usually around 150 years. Despite being prone to structural damage due to poor branching patterns, the Red Ash provides excellent shade in any landscape. The mature bark of the Red Ash exhibits a small interlacing diamond pattern, brownish-gray in color, and is usually less than an inch thick. Each leaf comprises 7 to 9 dark green leaflets that are narrow, pointed, smooth, and serrated along the edges. Following flowers that appear in april, the fruit is flat, narrow, and about 2 inches long, with a wing extending beyond the seed. As the fruit ripens in the fall, the seed changes from green to yellow and eventually to brown.