Black Ash

Fraxinus nigra Marshall

Olive family

Plant Type

Tree

Life Cycle

Perennial

Mature Height

65.0 feet

Spread

7.3 feet

Flower Color

White

Bloom Time

Early Spring

Growing Conditions

Light

Shade Tolerance Intolerant

Water

Water Use High

Drought Tolerance Low

Flood Tolerance Medium

Soil

Soil Types Loam, Sand

Fertility Need Medium

Stress Tolerance

Fire Tolerance Medium

Salt Tolerance None

Climate

pH Range 4.4 – 8.2

Frost-Free Days 80 days

Precipitation 20 – 50 in

Ecosystem & Wildlife

Pollinators Larval Host (Butterfly); Larval Host (Moth)

Larval Host Adita chionanthi, Alsophila pometaria, Caloptilia fraxinella, Caloptilia syringella, Ceratomia undulosa, Haploa confusa, Hyphantria cunae, Lophocampa maculata, Lymantria dispar, Machimia tetoriferella, Malacosoma disstria, Operophtera brumata, Paleacrita vernata, Palpita magniferalis, Papaipema furcata, Papilio glaucus, Papilio glaucus glaucus, Platynota idaeusalis, Podosesia syringae, Pseudosciaphila duplex, Satyrium caryaevorum, Sphinx canadensis, Sphinx kalmiae

Fall Color No

Evergreen No

Native Range

USA: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode I., Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin
CAN: Newfoundland, Ontario

Regional Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

State-level native status is based on data available through Plants of the World Online. Regional Native Status comes from the USDA Plants Database. For more detailed native status information, please refer to BONAP.