California ash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California ash |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Fraxinus
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| Species: |
dipetala
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| Natural range | |
The Fraxinus dipetala, also known as the California ash or two-petal ash, is a type of ash tree. It grows naturally in southwestern North America. You can find it in parts of the United States, including northwestern Arizona, California, southern Nevada, and Utah. It also grows in northern Baja California, Mexico. This tree usually lives in areas that are 100 to 1,300 meters (about 330 to 4,265 feet) above sea level.
What Does California Ash Look Like?
The California ash is a deciduous plant. This means it loses its leaves every year, usually in the fall. It can be a shrub or a small tree. It often grows up to 7 meters (about 23 feet) tall. Its stems can be round or have four sides.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the California ash are 5 to 19 centimeters (about 2 to 7.5 inches) long. They are light to dark green. Each leaf has three to seven smaller parts called leaflets. These leaflets are 1 to 7 centimeters (about 0.4 to 2.7 inches) long. They are thick and have jagged edges, like a saw.
The flowers of this ash tree are special. They have two white, petal-like parts that are 2.5 to 4 millimeters long. These flowers smell sweet and hang in soft, fluffy groups. Unlike many other ash trees, the California ash has flowers that are bisexual. This means each flower has both male and female parts.
Fruit of the Tree
After the flowers bloom, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a long, flat seed with a wing, called a samara. It is 2 to 3.2 centimeters (about 0.8 to 1.3 inches) long and 5 to 9 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.35 inches) wide. When the fruit is young, it is green and hangs in bunches.
