Fraxinus angustifolia - Ash

Fraxinus angustifolia, also known as Narrow-leaved Ash, is a tree of beautiful stature, with a conical to rounded habit and relatively fast growth. It is primarily decorative due to its foliage as its flowers are quite discreet. Its leaves are composed of very narrow light green leaflets which turn purple in the autumn. Easy to cultivate, it grows on most soils except acidic or rocky ones.  This tree grows well in clay as well as loam, in fertile or poor, moist to dry soils. 

Ash trees belong to the Oleaceae family, just like olive trees, lilacs and jasmines. There are about sixty-five species that mainly live in forests of temperate climates in the northern hemisphere. They are mainly fast-growing trees and not very susceptible to diseases or insect attacks. Fraxinus angustifolia (syn. F. oxycarpa) is a botanical species mainly found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Central Europe and the Middle East, through several subspecies.
It forms a beautiful tree that quickly reaches significant proportions, about 15 to 20 m (49 ft 2 in to 65 ft 7 in) in height with a spread of 7 to 8 m, with a conical to rounded or spreading habit. The trunk can reach a diameter greater than 1 m (3 ft 4 in) and the grey bark is very fissured. Its finely branched crown is composed of thin and glabrous branches, bearing leaves grouped in whorls or clusters of 3 or 4. These leaves, measuring 15 to 25 cm (5.9 to 9.8 in) in length, are odd-pinnate, composed of 7 to 13 sessile, narrow and lanceolate leaflets, each 4 to 8 cm (1.6 to 3.1 in) long. The finely toothed lamina is light to medium green. The delicacy of the foliage gives this tree its aesthetic appeal, further enhanced by beautiful autumnal colours, ranging from purple to wine red.
The flowers appear in April, before the foliage, in clusters on the previous year's branches. Few in number and greenish in colour, they are quite insignificant. They then give rise to fruits that are narrow samaras, measuring about 4 to 6 cm (1.6 to 2.4 in) in length and 2 cm (0.8 in) in width.
This species is quite universal with a very wide natural distribution range, which can be explained by its high adaptability to natural conditions. Thus, it grows in neutral to calcareous soils, whether dry, moist or even wet including clay, sand or loam. It only dislikes acid or rocky soils that are insufficiently deep. This species has a long lifespan (up to 200 years).

The Narrow-leaved Ash is a beautiful wild species with genuine ornamental qualities, and easy to grow. Its elegant foliage and beautiful autumn colours make it an interesting tree for specimen planting, in rows or integrated as a background in flowerbeds and borders.  It is particularly suitable for alkaline and somewhat dry soils, where it can be associated with other calcicolous species, such as Cercis siliquastrum (Judas Tree), with its superb pink flowers appearing before the leaves. Crataegus laevigata Paul's Scarlet, a hawthorn with abundant dark pink flowers, will take over from the Judas Tree, offering beautiful red autumn colours and equally decorative red fruits. In slightly moister soils, the field maple (Acer campestre) will also be a suitable companion for a natural effect, magnificent in the autumn.