Fraxinus quadrangulata
Owner: St. Williams Nursery & Ecology Centre
Nominator: Forest Care
Height: 8.9 m (29.2 ft)
Diameter: 23.09cm (9.09 in)
Circumference: 72.5 cm (28.5 in)
Description
Blue Ash is a small tree growing up to 20 m tall and can be found in the midwest United States and parts of Kentucky and Tennessee, though it is never found in abundance. It can be found in only a few places in southern Ontario near Lake Erie. Due to the rarity of this species and the difficulty in growing blue ash from seedm it has been designated a threatened species in Canada. It is however a drought resistant species typically found on dry upland sites and hillsides, though it has been found growing on floodplains. Unlike the other ashes, its bark is divided into plate-like, shaggy scales. This tree can be easily identified by its unique square twigs, and inner bark that turns blue upon exposure to air. It is a fast growing, long lived tree that is often planted as an ornamental shade tree in parks and gardens. Several blue ash trees have been planted near the Delhi Tobacco Museum and Quance Dam. (Source: Focus on Forests)
Blue Ash seeds, twig and leaves (Source: USDA Ash Conservation Project)