Fraxinus americana

Leaflets silvery below. Leaves smooth with 5, 7, or 9 leaflets. Deep U-shaped leaf scar is different than F. caroliniana.

Rich upland or lowland wet woods, drained stream banks, pastures.

White ash wood is heavy, hard, strong, stiff, has good shock resistance and excellent bending qualities. It holds screws and nails moderately well, but has a tendency to split. White ash lumber kiln-dries satisfactorily and holds its shape well after seasoning, but has low resistance to decay. The wood stays smooth under constant rubbing. White ash is sometimes confused with hickory, but the two woods are quite easily distinguished. The summerwood (darker) zone in ash has white dots or lines that can be seen with the naked eye; hickory also has these dots or lines in the summerwood, but they are not visible without magnification. Much white ash wood is used for handles. It is the standard wood for D-handles for shovels and spades, and for the long handles for forks, hoes, rakes, and shovels. It is used in furniture, especially in the bent parts of chairs. It is used for slack cooperage and many types of sporting equipment including oars and bats.