Plant Details

Fraxinus Excelsior

Ash, European ash, Common Ash

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Common names

51 names · 39 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Ash[1]
  • Common Ash
  • European ash[1]
Other languages (38)
Dutch
French
  • Frêne commun[1]
  • Frêne élevé[1]
Arabic
  • شجر الرماد الأوروبي[1]
  • شجر الرماد الشائع[1]
  • مران باسق[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • مران عالي[1]
Asturian
Basque
  • Lizar arrunt[1]
Belarusian
  • Ясень звычайны[1]
Bulgarian
  • Планински ясен[1]
Catalan
  • Freixe de fulla gran[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧州白蜡[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲白蠟[1]
Czech
  • jasan ztepilý[1]
Danish
Estonian
  • harilik saar[1]
Euskara
Finnish
Galician
  • Freixo común[1]
German
  • Esche[1]
  • Gemeine Esche[1]
  • Gewöhnliche Esche[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Greek
  • Φραξός ο ψηλός[1]
Hebrew
  • מילה אירופאית[1]
Hungarian
  • Magas kőris[1]
Irish
Italian
  • Frassino comune[1]
  • Frassino maggiore[1]
Japanese
  • セイヨウトネリコ[1]
Korean
  • 구주물푸레[1]
Latvian
  • Parastais osis[1]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastasis uosis[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Jesion wyniosły[1]
Portuguese
  • Freixo-europeu[1]
Romanian
  • Frasin comun[1]
Russian
  • Ясень обыкновенный[1]
Slovak
  • jaseň štíhly[1]
Slovenian
  • veliki jesen[1]
Spanish
  • fresno de hoja ancha[1]
Swedish
Turkish
  • Avrupa Dişbudağı[1]
Ukrainian
  • Ясен звичайний[1]
Welsh
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Fraxinus excelsior — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • European ash — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Gemeine Esche — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Gewöhnliche Esche — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Hohe Esche — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Freixo-europeu — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Frassino maggiore — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Frassino comune — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Frêne commun — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Frêne élevé — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Ask — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • jasan ztepilý — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Freixe de fulla gran — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • 歐洲白蠟 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Ask — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Ясень обыкновенный — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • fresno de hoja ancha — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • ask — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Parastais osis — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Paprastasis uosis — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • lehtosaarni — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Jesion wyniosły — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Es — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • freisnu — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Ash — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Hochesche — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • مران عالي — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • مران باسق — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • شجر الرماد الشائع — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • شجر الرماد الأوروبي — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Lizarra — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • jaseň štíhly — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • セイヨウトネリコ — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • harilik saar — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Fuinseog — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • 欧州白蜡 — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Φραξός ο ψηλός — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Lizar arrunt — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Ясен звичайний — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Ясень звычайны — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • 구주물푸레 — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • veliki jesen — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Frasin comun — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Magas kőris — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • מילה אירופאית — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Onnen ynn — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Freixo común — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Avrupa Dişbudağı — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Планински ясен — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Saarni — results[0].names[49]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.
  • Esche — results[0].names[50]; taxon id 125440; Fraxinus excelsior.

General information

Scientific name: Fraxinus Excelsior
Accepted name (Kew): Fraxinus excelsior View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Oleaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Fraxinus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Ash, European ash, Common Ash

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 30.00 m
Spread: 20.00 m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Deciduous

Leaf retention described in the New England flora.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5-8
Soil moisture:
Moist, Wet
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Seed, Tea, Oil
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Wood, Pioneer species, Dye

Description

Unripe seeds are often pickled in a solution of salt and vinegar and then used as a spice for other dishes. Sometimes the leaves are also used as a tea substitute. The seeds yield an edible oil that is similar to sunflower oil.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 28/02

Crown

Crown shape: Columnar
Crown density: Semi-open crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Fraxinus excelsior L., name ID 369664, row 1212761
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1212459; name ID 369462; Fraxinus Tourn. ex L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Fraxinus excelsior

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2174602, ID 6JMBM: Fraxinus excelsior L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. Native Plant Trust; Go Botany Fraxinus excelsior — Go Botany
    Supports: Foliage
    Relevant sections
    • Foliage: Leaf duration

    Source checked on .