White Ash is a common overstory tree that occurs in a wide range of habitats throughout North Carolina.

Granville Co., NC 5/25/2009.

Leaflets are often ovate (egg-shaped).

Granville Co., NC 5/25/2009.

The leaves are whitish (glaucous) beneath.

Granville Co., NC 5/25/2009.

Granville Co., NC 5/25/2009.

Leaves from beneath.

Chatham Co., NC 6/28/09.

Flowers appear in early spring. These are male flowers. White Ash is dioecious &mdash male and female flowers are on different trees.

Carroll Co., VA 4/25/08.

These leaflets are unusually long and tapered (acuminate).

The samaras (fruits) have long, narrow wings.

Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.

Very similar to Green Ash (F. pennsylvanica), which has green leaf undersides and occurs only in wet habitats. One clue way to telling the two species apart is to look at the leaf scars -- in Green Ash the lateral bud is above the leaf scar; in White Ash the bud sits within the U-shaped scar. However, this difference is not reliable. I've seen a vigorously growing White Ash with nearly flat leaf scars, not embracing the bud.

Female flowers.

Durham, NC 3/28/07.

Durham, NC 3/28/07.

Buds are rich brown with an interesting scaly texture.

Granville Co., NC 5/25/2009.

The bud here is only slightly surrounded by the base of the petiole.

Granville Co., NC 5/25/2009.

The pale bark is often broken into alligator-back squares.

Durham, NC 3/28/07.

The bark of larger trees usually has diamond-shaped intersecting ridges.

Bark of a large tree.

Chatham Co., NC 6/28/09.

Typical bark of a large tree.

Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.