Shamel Ash
Fraxinus uhdei
Family: Oleaceae
OTHER NAMES
tropical ash
Spanish: urapán
CHARACTERISTICS
A mostly evergreen tree with a large canopy; it can grow up to 80 feet tall though is generally more in the range of 40-50 feet and often even smaller in our desert soils. Will grow 25-30’ in the first 10 years and slowly grow taller afterward. Dioecious (separate male and female plants), flowers inconspicuous born on separate trees in mid winter just before or at leaf emergence; fruit a winged achene, inconspicuous. Freezing temperatures can make trees go temporarily deciduous.
LANDSCAPE USE
Landscape tree.
GROWING CONDITIONS
AN EXPLANAITION OF TERMS USED
SUN full to part sun
WATER moderate water when established
SOIL not picky but good drainage is recommended
BASIN bottom
CONTAINER does ok in a container but will not attain its full size
HARDINESS will suffer some damage below 20°F, but is hardy to 10°F with some stem damage
FEEDING moderate
ECOLOGY
Nectar-rich flowers for butterflies and bees, larval food plant for the two-tailed swallowtail butterfly (Papilio multicaudata).
ETHNOBOTANY
In local areas the wood is used to manufacture handles of axes and other utilitarian needs.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
Found in pine forest canyons and mountain slopes, and generally along streams, from northwestern Mexico south through Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica.
TAXONOMY AND NAME
This plant is in the Oleaceae, the olive family. There are 63 species of Fraxinus widespread throughout much of Europe, Asia, and North America.
Fraxinus is the classical Latin name for the genus, while the species name uhdei honors Carl Uhde, German plant collector who explored eastern Mexico 1844–1848.
The very upright-growing nature of this species lends itself to urban planting where there isn't always a lot of space to work with. Photo by ekdelval, iNaturalist
The foliage with some green fruits (samaras), photo by SusanaLarios Bayardo, iNaturalist
The fruits are samaras, photo by livjohn89, iNaturalist