Narrow-leaf ash
Fraxinus angustifolia

Family: Oleaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows 20-30 m tall. The trunk us 1.5 m across. It loses its leaves during the year. The bark is smooth and grey. It becomes cracked on old trees. The buds are pale brown. The leaves are in opposite pairs and are 15-25 cm long. There are 3-13 leaflets along the stalk. These are 3-8 cm long by 1.1.5 cm wide. The fruit is 3-4 cm long. The seed is 2 cm long. It has pale brown wings.

There are about 70 Fraxinus species. It has become a weed in some parts of Australia.

Where it is found

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Arboretum Tasmania.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Algeria, Australia, Caucasus, Georgia, Mediterranean, Morocco, North Africa, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The fruit are used in a spice mixture.

Edible parts

Fruit - spice, manna

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Lissan ettir

Synonyms

Fraxinus americana var. calabriensis Weston; Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia; Fraxinus angustifolia var. lentiscifolia (Desf.) A. Henry; Fraxinus angustifolia var. pannonica Fukarek; Fraxinus angustifolia f. pendula (Loudon) Rehder; Fraxinus angustifolia var. rostrata (Guss.) Rouy & Fouc.; Fraxinus calabrica Dippel [Invalid]; Fraxinus dentata Tausch; Fraxinus elongatifolia Sennen; Fraxinus excelsior subsp. angustifolia (Vahl) Wesm.; Fraxinus excelsior var. angustifolia (Vahl) Fiori & Paol.; Fraxinus excelsior subsp. parvifolia (Dum.Cours.) Arcang.; Fraxinus excelsior var. parvifolia Dum.Cours.; Fraxinus excelsior subsp. parvifolia (Boiss.) Wesm.; Fraxinus excelsior var. parvifolia (Boiss.) Arcang.; Fraxinus excelsior var. rostrata (Guss.) Wesm.; Fraxinus excelsior subsp. rostrata (Guss.) Arcang.; Fraxinus humilior Garsault [Invalid]; Fraxinus lentiscifolia Desf.; Fraxinus lentiscifolia var. pendula Loudon; Fraxinus mixta Bosc; Fraxinus obtusa Willk. & Lange; Fraxinus orientalis Colla; Fraxinus ornus var. parvifolia (Dum.Cours.) Ten.; Fraxinus oxycarpa var. angustifolia (Vahl) Lingelsh.; Fraxinus oxycarpa subsp. edentata Dippel; Fraxinus oxycarpa f. edentata (Dippel) Lingelsh.; Fraxinus oxycarpa f. hartwegii Lingelsh.; Fraxinus oxycarpa var. parvifolia (Boiss.) Wenzig; Fraxinus oxycarpa subsp. parvifolia (Boiss.) Yalt.; Fraxinus oxycarpa var. petiolulata Karpati; Fraxinus oxycarpa var. rostrata (Guss.) Lingelsh.; Fraxinus oxyphylla var. parvifolia (Dum.Cours.) Boiss.; Fraxinus parviflora Ten.; Fraxinus parvifolia Lam. [Illegitimate]; Fraxinus parvifolia f. pendula (Loudon) Dippel; Fraxinus parvifolia var. tarraconensis Sennen; Fraxinus rostrata Guss.; Fraxinus rotundifolia Mill. Fraxinus rotundifolia f. pendula (Loudon) Rehder; Fraxinus salicifolia Colla; Leptalix mixta (Bosc) Raf. Ornanthes parviflora (Ten.) Raf. Ornanthes rotundifolia (Mill.) Raf. Ornus mammifera Steud. [Invalid] Ornus rotundifolia (Mill.) Moench