Fraxinus excelsior Zygmunt Krasiński - Ash, European Ash, Common Ash

The Fraxinus excelsior 'Zygmunt Krasiński' is a common Ash tree that stands out with its simple or sometimes three-leaflet compound leaves. It is a tall tree with a striking appearance, featuring black buds contrasting well against the gray branches. Its straight trunk supports a more or less conical crown, providing light shade. The foliage turns more or less yellow in autumn before falling to the ground. Not fearing severe frosts at all and adapting to most soils remaining fresh, this Ash tree can be planted alone, by a water body, or in the background of a large massif.

The Ash tree belongs to the Oleaceae family, deriving its name from the Olive tree (Olea) and encompassing several ornamental genera such as Lilacs, Phyllirea, or the lesser-known white Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum). There are about sixty-five Ash tree species, mostly recognizable by their odd-pinnate leaves (composed of an odd number of leaflets, due to the terminal leaflet), opposite or sometimes grouped in threes. Fraxinus excelsior is our common Ash tree, widespread from Europe to the Caucasus and up to northern Anatolia. A fast-growing tree, it can easily exceed 30 m in height and thrives in forests, near lakes, and watercourses. It bears compound leaves with 7 to 13 leaflets measuring 20 to 40 cm long. Its very discreet greenish-yellow flowering occurs in April, before leaf budburst.
The Fraxinus excelsior 'Zygmunt Krasiński' is one of the few varieties with simple or weakly compound leaves, like the 'Diversifolia' Ash tree. In this tree, the leaves are elongated and simple, or composed solely of three leaflets. The original specimen was found in a park in Opinogóra, Poland, residence of Zygmunt Krasiński's father, and where his son, also buried there, lived. Z. Krasiński was a 19th-century poet and writer, a prominent figure in Romanticism, and a godson of Napoleon Bonaparte. Apart from its atypical foliage, this Ash tree is quite close to the botanical species. It forms a tall tree with a more or less conical to rounded canopy, borne by a straight trunk covered with gray bark that cracks over time. The black buds are prominently visible on the gray branches, characteristic of the species. The dark green leaves are reduced to a single oversized leaflet, very elongated and reaching up to 15 cm long. Alternatively, they are trifoliate, composed of three leaflets, a rare configuration among trees, also found notably in the Samarian Elm (Ptelea trifoliata). Depending on the climate and soil, they turn more or less yellow before falling in autumn, adding light to the garden towards the end of the season. However, the flowering is too insignificant to be ornamental. It appears very early, in April, in the form of small greenish-yellow female catkins, or male ones tinged with purple turning yellow after pollination. The resulting fruit from fertilization, called samara, has a lance shape, initially yellow-green and eventually turning brown. Clustered together, these fruits have little decorative appeal, similar to the inflorescences.

Easy to grow in most fresh soils, highly frost-resistant, this 'Zygmunt Krasiński' Ash tree will mainly interest rarity enthusiasts with ample land. To create surprise, pair it with other unusual plants, such as the small Myrsine-leaved Oak (Quercus myrsinifolia), intriguing with its spreading form and narrow, barely toothed leaves that turn purple in autumn. The Hornbeam-leaved Maple (Acer carpinifolium) also confuses with its foliage closely resembling Hornbeam, displaying lovely autumn hues. Only its characteristic Maple fruits (samaras) betray its tree genus. To complete your bewildering scene, plant a Sea Buckthorn-leaved Willow (Salix elaeagnos 'Angustifolia'), another botanical trap with extremely fine, elegant dark green foliage. This time, the yellow catkins will alert keen observers...

Plant it alone on a lawn to enjoy its characteristic silhouette or integrate it into a mixed plant bed. In this case, surround it with low plants to not hinder its growth and allow it to display its attractive form. Under its protective shade, you can establish a carpet of Variegated Pachysandra terminalis, a persistent ground cover with dark green foliage delicately edged in white. The European Spindle, or Euonymus europaeus, with its slightly wild appearance, also pairs well with your Ash tree and creates a superb colourful contrast when its foliage turns purple and red in autumn. Additionally, it produces highly decorative pink and orange fruits (but beware, they are toxic). To add winter colours to your scene, adopt the Yellow-twigged Dogwood 'Flaviramea', a Cornus with very decorative yellow wood that you can plant in front of your Ash tree without hindrance, as this shrub does not exceed 2 m in height and benefits from being pruned short each year to encourage the growth of bright young shoots.

or common Ash tree, is a very common large tree in our French forests. It is distinguished by its velvety black floral buds and its lanceolate leaves, dark green, turning yellow in autumn. Rapidly growing, this tree acquires over the years an elegant form, consisting of a very vertical trunk supporting a light and elongated canopy that provides pleasant shade in summer. Highly frost-resistant, easy to grow in any deep and fresh soil, it will look splendid alone in a large garden or by a water body.

The Fraxinus excelsior, commonly known as the common Ash tree or tall Ash tree, belongs to the Oleaceae family, just like the olive tree and lilac. It is native to Europe, Scandinavia, and Russia, where it is common on riverbanks, shores, and in forests.

This Ash tree has an erect habit. It develops a vertical trunk, well cleared, topped with a canopy of rounded to elongated shape, initially closed when young, opening with age. At maturity, this canopy is airy, light in appearance, and the bark covering the trunk becomes gray, deeply fissured and scaly. It has a relatively fast growth, usually reaching between 30 and 40 m in height and 20 m in width at maturity. The deciduous foliage, very delicate, consists of leaves composed of 9 to 13 very narrow, lanceolate leaflets, 5 to 12 cm long. Dark green, they turn yellow in autumn. Flowering occurs in spring, before leaf emergence, in the form of cream-yellow panicles. After pollination, they give way to 2 to 4.5 cm long samaras.

Perfectly hardy and with limited requirements, the common Ash tree tolerates all non-scorching exposures and adapts to any ordinary soil, including limestone, but its growth will be more significant in fertile, deep, and fresh soil. It tolerates pruning very well, even severe, as it produces new shoots from the base. If conditions suit it, it tends to self-seed very easily. In a free form, its foliage and elegant form provide genuine ornamental qualities. It will find its place alone in a large garden, where it will offer pleasant shade in summer.