Cooperative Living June 2022 - 30

BRANCHING OUT
ASH:
A
ree on the Brink
by Steve Carroll, Contributing Columnist
Rough times for this beautiful tree
fi fifififie, fififififififififin fifififie fish is a fi fififiificefifi fififie. fifi
fififiws stfififififit and tfiue, with bark rfififies tfifit ififififififififi
fifi fifififi fififififififififi fifififififififi. fifi fifififififises fifififies fifififi
fi fififiiple leaflets fifififi fifi fifififi fifi fififirs fifififig fifififififififi. fififififi
fifififififi
fififififion, flofifirs fififielop fifififi fifififififirs of fifififi fifififififi, fifififi
fififififid frfifififi. In the ffififi, leafies tufin from yelfifiw to purple. Ifi
not for one fifififififim, fish fifiuld fifi a fifififit choice for fifififi fifififi
fipace fifi your yarfi, or fifififig an fifififiue in nefid of shfifififi
The prfifififim? The efifififild ash bfifififi, an ififififififififid bfififififi
fififit is sfififififififig rafififily and leafififig milfifififis of dead ashes
fin its wfifie.
THE ASH TREE
Ashes (fifififis Fraxinus) are in the olfifie ffififififi, closely
fifififififid to the ffifififififis nfifififififie and to our nfifififie frfififie tfififi
fiChionanthus virginicus). fifi r fifififififis fifio most fifififi fifi
fishes are white ash (Fraxinus americana) and gfififin ash
fiFraxinus pennsylvanica).
fifififie ash can reach 2 to 3 feet in dfifififififir and 80 or
fififie feet tfififi. Ifis comfififind leafies tfifififififily hfifie sefififi
fififi fifififififififid or ffifififily tfififififid leafletfi. Mfile and fefi fififi
fl fifirs fififim in clufififirs, fififififily on sefififififie tfifififi.
fifififin ash is sifififififi, sometfimes rfifififififig more tfian
100 feet tfififi. The tfio mfiy gfifiw tfififififififi, tfifififih white
fish fififififirs moist, fifififififififififififi fififies while fifififin fish fifififififi
fififififififies damp or efifin tfifi fififififiily flofififid sitfififi
THE PROBLEM
fifififififififig fifi fihe fifififififiia fi fifififififi fifit of fifififififififi, fihe
fifififififinch long efi fififild fish fifififir is " fihe most destfifififififie
fififiest ifififict efifir to ififiade the Ufifififid Sfififififififi
Hfififififififirs can sfiot
Adult emerald ash borer
fihe tfififi, ififififififififit gfififin adultfi
ft fir tfifiy efifififie tfififififih Dfi
fififififid exit holes in the barfi.
The adults mfiy chew ash
fifififies, but the larfiae do
fihe rfifil damfifie, ifififififiably
fifififififig to the tfifififis deafifi.
Aftfir adults lay egfis in tfifi
Feeding damage by
emerald ash borer larvae
28 ● Cooperative Living ●
firacks of barfi, the larfiae fefifi
and bufififiw tfififififih sififififis
fififififififififi cfifififid gfififififififififi in tfifi
fififififis conductfifig tfififiue. This
fififififififis the flow of wfififir and
June 2022
White ash can
reach 2 to 3 feet
in diameter and
80 or more
feet tall.
●oung white ash leaves expanding.
fifififififififis, rfififififififig fifi fihe fififififi of
branches fifi fihe fifififififi. fifififififififififi, fihe
fififie is gfififififid and sometfimes dies in as few as
fifio to tfififie years. Once significant damfifie is sefin in the canopfifi
fififi
s gfifififififily tfio lafie to safie the tfifififi
WHA T
fi fififififififirs who fifififi fish fififies on fifififir fifififififififi should
fie vfifififififit. Examine the bark for the Dfifififififid exit holes;
fififififis efifififie in the sfififififi, abfifit the tfime black lofifist tfifies
fifie fl fifififififi. fiou can filso scan fihe fifififififi for fififififi of fififififie
and dfififififififi, and wfifich for ifififififififid fefifififig by wfififififififififififi
which seek out the larfiae.
fifi fifififififi fififififi, or fifi a fifififififififififi fifififififie, fifififififi ic
fififififififils can fifi fifififi fifififififit fifiis fifist, fifit fififick fifist fifififi
a fifififiified fififififiist or fifififie fifififififififi. Also, fifififi fifi fifind fifififi
fififififififils ufifid afififififit the efifififild ash bfififir mfiy end up in
fififids and otfifir orgfififififi s tfifit fefid on tfififi . To prfififict
fififififififififirs, it's best to tfififit tfifies aftfir flofififififififi
fifififififir prfififififififi fifififififi fifit fifififififies the rfifififise of tfififi
fififififififioid wfifififi. These wfifips lay tfififir egfis in eitfifir the egfis
or larfiae. When the wfifip larfiae efifififie, tfifiy fefid on and
fififi
l the ash bfifififi.
fif you hfifie heafififiy ash tfifies, confiact the Dfifififififififit of
fififififififiy at dof.fifififififififififiov fifi fifififififie abfifit costfififififififig
fififififififis afifiilable fifi fifififififififirs and orgfifififififififififi. In tfifi
fifififififime, donfit fifififififififit fish fififififififi, chips or lofis to
fifioid movfifig tfiis pest ififio new arfifififi
WHAT WE'VE LOS
As fifififi the Afififiican fififififififit, a once grand and ifi fifififififit
fififit of our forest hfis bfifin defififi fififid. Thoufih efforfis are ufififififi
fifiy to combat tfiis ififififififi, it's tfio lafie for mfifiy milfifififis of tfifififi.
Ash fifififififififififily fiad fi fififi fises fis bafififififil bafis, tfiol hfififiles,
fin early tfififiis rackfifis and pole vfiult poles, in ffififififififie and
fififififiior fifiish, and as a fofid soufice for bifids and otfifir wildfiife.
Ash wfis also widely planfifid as a shade tfifie afififig urban and
fifififirban fifififififififi
fifififififi fie should fifioid fifififififififi fish tfifies on our prfififififiies
fififiil fifififififififit is fifififififi fifififififid. Ffifififififififififi, mfifiy otfifir
fifififififififil nfifififie tfifififi dfi wfifil in our rfififififi. 
Steve Carroll is a botanist and ecologist who speaks and writes
about trees, gardening and the world of plants. He is the co-author
of " Ecology for Gardeners, " published by Timber Press.
co-opliving.com
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Cooperative Living June 2022

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