The American Ash (Fraxinus americana L.) is a deciduous tree that has been reported in 74 of our 75 counties in Arkansas. This tree exhibits simple, opposite, odd-pinnately compound leaves that are generally 8-13 " long, with 5 to 9 leaflets (see inset), that are dark lustrous green above, paler and whitish and glabrous or pubescent beneath. The dioecious flowers are borne in April-May with or before the leaves in staminate and pistillate panicles. These flowers ripen August-September and the fruit develops in the form of samaras in dense clusters, often 6-8 " long.

The wood is brown, with a lighter sapwood, close-grained, strong, hard, tough, heavy, weighing 41 pounds per cubic foot. It seasons well, takes a good polish, is shock resistant, and moderately durable. Native Americans used this tree in many ways. The strong wood was used for bows and the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and southern Canada used the wood for manufacturing snowshoes, calling them a' gimak', meaning snowshoe wood. The inner bark was dried, pounded and mixed with other plant parts and steeped in water, which was used as a tonic. These plants range from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas; eastward to Florida, northward to Nova Scotia, and west to Ontario, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nebraska. The genus name Fraxinus is the ancient Latin name, and the meaning of the species name, americana, is obvious. It is also commonly known as White Ash, Cane Ash, Biltmore Ash, and has been in cultivation since 1724. The fruit is known to be eaten by a number of birds, including the Purple Finch and the Pine Grosbeak; the foliage is browsed by Rabbit, porcupine, and White-tailed deer.