Do you find it difficult to tell different types of trees apart once they have shed their leaves? Bare branches, the fruits have long since rotted and the snow presses on the crowns and changes their shape. Each tree seems to resemble the other. However, you can recognize the ash with ease - provided you know which characteristics to look out for.
The ash does not shed its fruit in winter
Easy to spot in winter
With its stable, powerful growth form, the ash clearly stands out even under a layer of snow and frost. Pay attention to the following characteristics:
- the branches grow upwards
- the shoots are thicker than in other trees
- small black fruits often hang on the tree
- the crown is very branched
- the branches are covered with black, felty buds
Special properties
The ash is an exception to the usual behavior of a tree that goes into hibernation:
- Ash trees shed their leaves while they are still green
- the fruits remain on the branches even in winter
- on the branches you will discover small black buds
function of the buds
The buds are already formed in July and have felty little hairs. While they are used for rapid regeneration after injuries in summer, they provide effective frost protection in winter because they prevent evaporation.
economic use
Would you like to process ash wood? Their purpose can determine the optimal time to fell the tree. For filigree work where you want to add structure to the wood, you should fell the ash tree in summer. Then your wood is considered flexible. In winter, on the other hand, it becomes tougher, but stronger. However, you should not use it for outdoor construction, as it is not weather-resistant.