White Ash

White Ash is the largest of the native ashes, typically growing 60 to 80 feet tall. Young trees are pyramidal in shape, gradually maturing to a rounded crown. Clusters of purplish male and female flowers appear on separate trees in April-May before the foliage, which turns yellow with purple shading in fall. Gray bark develops distinctive diamond-shaped ridging on mature trees. White Ash is a valuable timber tree, its wood commercially used for a variety of products including tool handles, oars, garden furniture and sports equipment such as the Louisville Slugger. The emerald ash borer now constitutes a serious threat to all species of ash in North America. Once infestation occurs, it is very difficult to eradicate this pest which feeds under the bark and bores into wood.