Green Ash

About Green Ash in Alberta

Green Ash has two different Alberta stories that must be kept separate. It is native in Alberta but native occurrences are scarce and conservation-significant, especially in moist riparian and lowland settings; at the same time, it is one of the most common planted prairie trees in boulevards, shelterbelts, farmyards, parks, and institutional landscapes. For ARA, notable green ash records may be either remnant native riparian trees or long-established planted trees with urban, farmstead, cemetery, or shelterbelt heritage value.

Identification: Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, usually with 5-9 leaflets. Leaflets are green, toothed, and arranged along a central stalk. Opposite branching and compound leaves are core ash traits.

Alberta range and habitat: Green Ash is native in Alberta, but native occurrences are scarce. Wild trees belong mainly to moist lowland, floodplain, swamp, riparian wood, and wet-draw settings rather than dry upland prairie.