Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00000633
11/12/99
Fraxinus americana--White Ash
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Height: 70 ft Spread: 50 ft Form: rounded
Type: deciduous tree
Annual Growth Rate: 12 to 18 inches
Comments: White Ash is resistant to heat and drought but
produces unwanted volunteer trees. The growth rate is
rapid when young, becoming moderate with age. White Ash
prefers a sunny exposure and grows in most soil types.
The tree is easy to transplant and its main ornamental
feature is the yellow and purple fall color (Vis. 9). A
good tree for large open areas but much too large for home
landscapes.
Cultivars:
'Autumn Applause' - A small, dense, oval (Vis. 1),
seedless form reaching a height of 40 feet and a spread
of 25 feet. It provides a purple fall color (Vis. 2).
'Autumn Blaze' - This cultivar is a Morden introduction
and does well under prairie conditions. The fall
foliage color is purple (Vis. 3). Only light crops of
seeds are produced.
'Champaign County' - An oval to rounded form with a
denser crown than the species. The bright green
summer foliage turns yellow (Vis. 4) in the fall. A
height of 45 feet and spread of 30 feet.
'Chicago Regal' - The crown is oval and reaches a
height of 45 feet but a spread of only 35 feet. The
fall color is orange to purple.
'Empire' - A narrow, pyramidal cultivar with a height
of 50 feet and a spread of 25 feet (Vis. 5).
'Greenspire' - A narrow, upright variety with dark
green foliage that turns dark orange in the fall.
'Junginger' (Autumn Purple(R)) - A rounded cultivar
reaching a height of 45 feet and a spread of 40 feet.
The fall color varies from orange to purple.
'Manitou' - A Sheridan Nursery selection that is
columnar and well-branched with bright green foliage.
'Northern Blaze' - Better winter hardiness than the
species, an upright form when young.
'Rosehill' - An upright oval tree reaching a height of
50 feet and a spread of 35 feet. The fall color is
bronze-red to purple (Vis. 6).
'Royal Purple' - An upright tree with royal purple fall
foliage.
'Skycole' (Skyline(R)) - An oval tree with a strong
central leader and strong symmetrical branching. It
produces an orange-red fall color and reaches a
height of 45 feet and a spread of 35 feet (Vis. 7).
'Sparzam' (Sparticus TM) - A pyramidal tree reaching a
height of about 55 feet and a spread of 30 feet. The
foliage is held longer in the fall prolonging the
display of the burgundy fall color.
'Tures' (Windy City TM) - Selected by Chicagoland Grows
for uniformity, a strong central leader, resistance
to frost cracking and an unusually dark, burgundy
fall color (Vis. 8).
References for Cultivars: J. Frank Schmidt and Son 1999,
Chicagoland Grows 1994, Sheridan Nurseries 1999, Princeton
Nurseries 1999, Bailey Nurseries 1999, Lake County Nursery
1999, Monrovia Nursery Company 1997, Ray Wiegand's Nursery
1999, Moller's Nursery 1997, Studebaker Nurseries 1999,
Berryhill Nurseries 1999, Scarff's Nursery 1999, Gee Farms
1999, Willoway Nurseries 1999, Carlton Plants 1999.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base ZZ on 01/19/00.
Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99.
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