Family: Oleaceae, Olive view all from this family

Description Large tree with straight trunk and dense, conical or rounded crown of foliage with whitish lower surfaces.
Height: 80' (24 m).
Diameter: 2' (0.6 m).
Leaves: opposite; pinnately compound; 8-12" (20-30 cm) long. Usually 7 (5-9) leaflets 2 1/2-5" (6-13 cm) long, 1 1/4-2 1/2" (3-6 cm) wide; paired (except at end); ovate or elliptical; finely saw-toothed or almost without teeth. Dark green above, whitish and sometimes hairy beneath; turning purple or yellow in autumn.
Bark: dark gray; thick, with deep diamond-shaped furrows and forking ridges.
Twigs: gray or brown, stout, mostly hairless.
Flowers: 1/4" (6 mm) long; purplish, without corolla; many in small clusters before leaves in early spring; male and female on separate trees.
Fruit: 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) long; brownish key with narrow wing not extending down cylindrical body; hanging in clusters; maturing in late summer and autumn.

Habitat Moist soils of valleys and slopes, especially deep well-drained loams; in forests with many other hardwoods.

Range S. Ontario east to Cape Breton Island, south to N. Florida, west to E. Texas, and north to E. Minnesota; to 2000' (610 m) in the north; to 5000' (1524 m) in the south.

Discussion The wood of White Ash is particularly suited for making baseball bats, tennis racquets, hockey sticks, polo mallets, oars, and playground equipment. A variation with hairs covering twigs, leafstalks, and underleaf surfaces has been called Biltmore Ash.