Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Green Ash

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Other common name(s):

Red Ash, Swamp Ash, River Ash, Water Ash, Darlington Ash

Family:

Oleaceae (Olive Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

50
to
75
ft.

Spread

25
to
50
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Moist, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Riparian, Wetland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Brown, Green, Purple

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Forage, Fruit, Nectar, Nesting Material

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Butterflies

Maintenance

Fast growing and drought tolerant. Makes a good shade tree, Provides fall color. One of the most widespread and successful native ashes, this species extends westward into the plains and nearly to the Rocky Mountains. Green Ash is also planted on spoil banks after strip mining. Native habitat: open woodlands, streams, river banks, swamps, ditches, ravines, depressions.

Description

Blooms April-June. A medium sized tree, it forms an upright, spreading habit at maturity. Leaves are divided into 5 to 9 1eaflets with smooth to slightly toothed margins and pointed tips. Small flowers appear in clusters, male and female on separate trees. The fruit is a winged, green samara. Larval host: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Two-tailed tiger swallowtail, Tiger swallow-tail, Orange Sulphur, Cloudless Giant Sulphur, Mourning Cloak.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Fraxinus campestris, Fraxinus darlingtonii, Fraxinus lanceolata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. austinii, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. integerrima, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. lanceolata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima, Fraxinus smallii

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Stored seeds require warm-moist stratification for 60 days, followed by 120 days at 32-41 degrees. It usually germinates in spring Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions or a nursery bed in late spring or early summer of the following year. If you have sufficient seed then it is possible to sow it directly into an outdoor seedbed, preferably in the autumn. Grow the seedlings on in the seedbed for 2 years before transplanting either to their permanent positions or to nursery beds. The seed is best harvested green - as soon as it is fully developed but before it has fully dried on the tree. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=FRPE 2) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Fraxinus+pennsylvanica 3) https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-fraxinus-pennsylvanica/
Seed No Treatment Fresh seed can then be sown immediately in a cold frame. It usually germinates in spring. The seed is best harvested green - as soon as it is fully developed but before it has fully dried on the tree. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Fraxinus+pennsylvanica
Stem Cutting Make a clean cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears just below a node (where leaves grow). The ideal length is 6-8 inches. Remove the leaves from the bottom two inches of the cutting. Dip the cut end in a rooting hormone powder to stimulate root development. Plant the cuttings in a moist rooting medium, like a mixture of peat moss and perlite. Ensure the cuttings are planted at least an inch deep, leaving the top leaves exposed. Cover the pot with a plastic dome or bag to create a humid environment, which promotes root growth. Place the pot in a bright, indirect light location. Regularly check the moisture levels and keep the medium consistently moist. It can take a few weeks to a few months for roots to develop. Once new growth appears, you know the rooting process is successful! In late summer or early fall, select healthy, mature branches that are about the thickness of a pencil. https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-fraxinus-pennsylvanica/

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason