{"id":23864,"date":"2021-04-15T13:07:40","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T12:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/?p=23864"},"modified":"2025-04-08T13:55:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T12:55:27","slug":"identify-ash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/","title":{"rendered":"Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) Identification"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><\/figure>\r\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Ash \/ Spring \/ Summer \/ Edible<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-23864 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-tree\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-scaled-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-tree-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24379'>\n\t\t\t\tAsh Tree\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-leaf-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-scaled-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24383'>\n\t\t\t\tLeaflets\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-shot-of-the-trunk-min\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-trunk-min-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-trunk-min-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-trunk-min-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-trunk-min.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-shot-of-the-buds-min\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-buds-min-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-buds-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-buds-min-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-buds-min.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-shot-of-young-keys-min\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><b>Common Names<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Ash, Common Ash, European Ash.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><b>Botanical Name<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">Fraxinus excelsior<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Scientific Classification<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Kingdom<\/strong> &#8211; Plantae<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Order<\/strong> &#8211; Lamiales<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Family<\/strong> &#8211; Oleaceae<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Physical Characteristics<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Stems<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">Light grey bark, that fissures with age, the stems are smooth with distinctive black buds, which are arranged in opposite pairs.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/h2>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Leaves<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">Large compound leaves, up to 40 cm long, are divided into four or eight pairs of lance-shaped leaflets with sharply toothed margins. The leaves can move in the direction of sunlight, and sometimes the whole crown of the tree may lean in the direction of the sun. Ash leaves also fall when they are still green.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_24383\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24383\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-24383\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-scaled-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-leaf-1-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24383\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Leaflets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<h2>\r\n\r\n<\/h2>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Flowers &amp; Seeds<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">Black flower buds are followed by clusters of greenish-white or purplish flowers. Seeds &#8211; Once the female flowers have been pollinated the seeds develop. The seeds or keys have a long wing. They are green when fresh and turn brown with age.<\/p>\r\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-23864 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-shot-of-young-keys-min\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-450x450.jpg 450w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-young-keys-min-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-ash\/ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-450x450.jpg 450w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Ash-shot-of-the-flowers-min-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n<h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Habitat<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most common trees in the UK. Found almost everywhere currently suffering from <a href=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2022\/12\/08\/ash-dieback-the-impact-on-our-native-ash-population\/\">Ash dieback disease<\/a> which causes brittleness and death.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><b>Known Hazards<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">None known.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\">\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><b>Could be Confused with<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/29\/identify-rowan\/\">Rowan<\/a> (Sorbus aucuparia) or <a href=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/28\/identify-elder\/\">Elder<\/a> (Sambucus nigra) but elder has fewer leaflets, spongy bark and an off putting musty smell when the leaves are damaged. Rowan\u2019s leaves are serrated and the tree produces white umbels of flowers, followed by red\/orange berries in the autumn.<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left\"><b>Edible Uses<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">The seeds have a distinctive spicy taste similar to black cardamom and go great with rice dishes. They are eaten as a pickle in Europe and Asia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">The shoots can be eaten when young and can be eaten raw or steamed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">The sap of the tree can be collected in spring and is commonly used to make ash wine.<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><b>Notes on Herbal uses<\/b><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">Ash is considered to be a healing tree and although its use in modern medicine has fallen it was once believed to be a cure for snake bites and leprosy amongst many other ailments.<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><b>Extra notes from the Foragers<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p>Ash was the choice wood for spear and axe hafts as well as for farming and garden tools due to its dry and strong wood!<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Botanical Name Fraxinus excelsior Scientific Classification Kingdom &#8211; Plantae Order &#8211; Lamiales Family &#8211; Oleaceae Physical Characteristics Stems Light grey bark, that fissures with age, the stems are smooth with distinctive black buds, which are arranged in opposite pairs.\u00a0 \u00a0 Leaves Large compound leaves, up to 40 cm long, are&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24325,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101,1780,85,86,1776,1777],"tags":[248,655,104,238,656],"class_list":["post-23864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-plant-identification","category-edible","category-foraging","category-plants","category-spring","category-summer","tag-ash","tag-fraxinus-excelsior","tag-spring","tag-summer","tag-tree"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23864"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123327,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23864\/revisions\/123327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}