Isn't it amazing how old trees can get? What starts as a small sprout grows into a steadfast tree whose bark trunk lasts for many hundreds of years. Lovers used to like to immortalize themselves with carvings in the wood of a tree. Thus, the plants are often witnesses of times long past. Ash trees can even live up to 300 years.
Ash trees can live up to 300 years
conditions for old age
As a rule, ash trees reach an age of 250 years, under good site conditions the deciduous trees can be even older, namely 300 years old.
soil claims
- dry or very wet
- calcareous
- loose soil
- profound
- base rich
Surroundings
Beech are increasingly competing with ash. They not only limit the general stock, but also reduce the life expectancy of the ash. Because of this, the deciduous tree has developed a pioneering trait. It mainly grows on soil that is too moist for beech. Standing alone, the ash reaches a significantly higher age than in the stock.
manhood
The same applies to the fertility of the ash, i.e. the time from which the deciduous tree forms seeds in order to reproduce. Solitary trees are already fruitful at 20 to 30 years. In dense stands, the first buds only form after 40 to 45 years.
development
Ashes are among the largest deciduous trees in Europe. At the end of their lives, they sometimes reach heights of up to 40 meters. The growth increases rapidly at a young age. But the ash is not only growing on the surface. In order to ensure the supply of nutrients, the roots also spread widely. First, the tree still has a heart root. With increasing age, this develops into a sinker root that grows up to 1.5 meters into the ground.