Fraxinus chinensis Emmas Gold - Ash

The Fraxinus chinensis 'Emma's Gold' is a small variety of Chinese ash tree with golden foliage, dazzling from spring to autumn. It is a slow-growing small tree that reaches only 3m (9 ft 10 in) in 10 years, suitable for both isolated planting in a small garden and in a pot on a terrace. Rarely cultivated, its pyramid-shaped and later conical form when fully grown is quite distinctive, and allows it to be used in rows or combined with varied foliage in a colorful informal hedge. Its large beautifully pinnate leaves provide light and pleasant shade during the summer. It is a fairly hardy tree that likes bright exposures and deep, moisture-retentive soil.

The Chinese ash tree is a tree of the olive family, just like the olive tree and the lilac. It is native to northern China, where it is common on the banks of rivers and streams. The 'Emma's Gold' variety stands out for its modest size and golden foliage throughout the growing season.

The habit of this ash tree is initially pyramidal, rounding with age to become overall conical. It develops a vertical and rather short trunk, well cleared, topped with a round-shaped crown, slightly closed when the tree is young, opening up over the years. At maturity, the canopy is airy, with a light appearance and the bark covering the trunk becomes grey, deeply fissured and scaly. The cultivar has a slow growth: at the age of 10, it will have reached a height of 3m (9 ft 10 in). At maturity, it will generally reach a height of 5m (16 ft 5 in), with a crown measuring about 2m (6 ft 7 in) in width, remaining a modest tree, perfect for a small ornamental garden. The deciduous foliage, of great finesse, consists of compound leaves with 5 to 9 elliptical to ovate leaflets, measuring 5 to 10cm (2 to 4 in) in length, with serrated edges. Bright yellow to golden yellow when budding, they then take on their characteristic color, a very bright yellow-green. In autumn, they turn golden yellow again for 3 to 5 weeks if strong winds do not blow them away. The flowering takes place in spring, before the appearance of the foliage, in the form of cream-white panicles. After pollination, they give way to 2 to 4.5cm (0.8 to 1.8 in) long samaras.

'Emma's Gold' ash tree is a beautiful small tree, ideal for providing dappled shade to a corner of a terrace or bringing light and color to dark borders and hedges with other golden shrubs and trees. Its compact size and slow growth allow it to be grown in a pot or used to adorn a small urban garden.