Flowering ash, Manna Ash
Fraxinus ornus
Family: Oleaceae
What it is like
A tree which loses its leaves. It grows 10-15 m tall. It has a short fluted trunk. The bark is smooth and grey. It produces suckers. The leaves are dark green and divided along the stalk. There are 5-9 oval leaflets. They are downy underneath. They turn purple-red in autumn. The flowers are creamy-white and fluffy. They occur in clustered plumes. The flowers have a scent. The fruit are small and narrow. It is reddish-brown and has one seed.
There are about 65 Fraxinus species. The gum is used in medicine.
Where it is found
It is native to S.W. Asia and S. Europe. Temperate. It likes a sunny position. It can tolerate dry conditions. It suits hardiness zones 6-10. Arboretum Tasmania.
Countries/locations it is found in
Argentina, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Central Asia, Croatia, Europe, France, Greece, India, Italy, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, San Marino, Sicily, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye
How it is used for food
A sticky sugary gum is produced by the tree when the bark is cut. This is a source of mannitol, used as a sweetener in sugar-free preparations and as an anti-caking agent. The young leaves and flowers are used as a flavouring.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Manna, sap, leaves - tea, flowers
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed. It also can be grown by root suckers. Varieties are maintained by grafting.
The yield can be 5 kg of select manna and 70 kg of assorted manna per hectare. Trees older than 8 years and with a trunk over 7.5 cm across have a series of slanting cuts on alternate sides of the trunk and the sap collected in warm dry weather.
Its other names
Local names
Jasen, Mali jesen, Mena, Shirkhist