PNW Native
Ranges along Pacific Coast from Southern British Columbia through Sierra Nevadas in California.
Oregon ash grows up to 25 m / 70 ft tall. When mature, bark becomes grey and furrowed. Deciduous, green, opposite, pinnately compound leaves with 5-7 leaflets. Unisexual dioicous flowers are either yellow (male) or green (female) and borne on different trees. Flowers appear before leaves in spring. Fruits are 3 – 5 cm long, paddle-shaped samaras, in clusters on female trees attached by fine stalks. (2)
Oregon ash thrives best when mixed with other hardwood trees in a forest. When interplanted with European alder (A. glutimosa) in eastern Kentucky, white ash doubled in size. (1) It is likely that interplanting Oregon ash with red alder then, our native species which also fixes nitrogen, will boost the health of the ash. (1) Oregon ash prefers wet soils at low elevations, ideally close to a water source like a stream, pond, lake, or floodplains. (2)
Oregon ash serves as important browse, forage, and habitat for animals, both domestic livestock and wildlife. Mice, fox squirrels, other small mammals, and birds such as northern bobwhite, purple finch, wood duck, and pine grosbeak forage the samaras of the tree, young tree bark is occasionally consumed by porcupine, rabbits, and beaver. Cattle and white-tailed deer browse in summer. (1)
Oregon ash wood was traded to the Makah tribe from groups further south and/or east, as it did not occur in their area frequently during the time of trading. At the Ozette site on the Olympic Peninsula, bowls and implements made of Oregon ash were present despite not growing within the vicinity of the site. (4)
The odor of crushed Oregon ash leaves carried in the pockets of hikers has supposed properties in warding off rattlesnakes. The juice of Oregon ash crushed and applied to mosquito bites relieves itchiness, redness, and swelling of the bite. (1)
Oregon ash has economic value as a timber species due to its’ strong, hard, heavy, shock-resistant wood, and is used in antique cars, railroad cars, boats and paddles, snowshoes furniture, doors, and cabinets, and baseball bats. (1)
Oregon ash is a valuable ornamental tree and also has value as a restoration and reclamation planting, used largely in coal mines in the upper half of the Appalachians. (1)
