Black Ash
Fraxinus nigra Marsh. [Fraxinus sambucifolia Lam.]
HABIT.—A tall tree 60-80 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet; slender, upright branches form in the forest a narrow crown, in the open a rounded, ovoid crown.
LEAVES.—Opposite, pinnately compound, 12-16 inches long. Leaflets 7-11, 3-5 inches long, 1-2 inches broad; sessile, except the terminal; oblong to oblong-lanceolate, long-pointed; remotely, but sharply serrate; thin and firm; dark green above, paler beneath, glabrous. Petioles stout, grooved, glabrous.
FLOWERS.—May, before the leaves; polygamo-dioecious; borne in loose panicles on shoots of the preceeding season; calyx 0; corolla 0; stamens 2; ovary 2-celled.
FRUIT.—August-September, falling early, or sometimes hanging on the tree until the following spring; samaras 1-1-1/2 inches long, in open, paniculate clusters 8-10 inches long.
WINTER-BUDS.—Ovoid, pointed; bud-scales rounded on the back, 3 pairs, almost black.
BARK.—Twigs at first dark green, becoming ashy gray or orange, finally dark gray and warted; thin, soft ash-gray and scaly on the trunk. Bark flakes off on rubbing with the hand.
WOOD.—Heavy, tough, coarse-grained, weak, rather soft, dark brown, with thin, lighter colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.—Common throughout most portions of Michigan.