Yellow ash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow ash |
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| The bark of a yellow ash tree in Foxground, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Emmenosperma
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| Species: |
alphitonioides
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The Emmenosperma alphitonioides, also known as the yellow ash or bonewood, is a type of tree that grows in the rainforests of eastern Australia. You can find it from the Clyde River in New South Wales, near Batemans Bay, all the way up to the Cape York Peninsula in the northernmost part of Australia. This tree grows well in many different kinds of rainforests, including tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate ones.
Contents
What the Yellow Ash Tree Looks Like
This tree can grow quite tall, reaching about 35 metres high. Its trunk can be as wide as 150 centimetres across.
Its Bark and Trunk
The outer bark of the yellow ash is silvery grey and has many cracks or splits, which are called fissures. These cracks become even more noticeable on older, larger trees. The bottom part of the trunk often has a slightly wider, wavy shape, which is called being flanged.
Its Leaves
The leaves of the yellow ash tree look quite simple and plain. They are green and grow opposite each other on the branch. They do not have any teeth or jagged edges, and they look a bit like the leaves you might see on a lemon or orange tree. Each leaf is usually 2 to 7 centimetres long and 2 to 4 centimetres wide, with a slightly rounded or blunt tip. The small stems that connect the leaves to the branch are called petioles, and they are about 4 to 10 millimetres long and feel smooth. The underside of the leaf is usually lighter in colour than the top side. You can easily see the veins on both sides of the leaves.
Flowers and Fruit
The yellow ash tree produces white flowers. These flowers usually appear between August and November. They grow in groups called cymes, which are part of larger flower clusters known as panicles.
How the Fruit Grows
The fruit of the yellow ash is bright orange and soft, with two seeds inside. These fruits ripen between March and August. When the tree is full of fruit, it's very easy to spot because of the many orange, fleshy fruits hanging from its branches. These types of fruits are called drupes.
Growing New Trees
If you want to grow a new yellow ash tree from its seeds, it's a good idea to gently rub the seed shell with a file. This helps to make the shell weaker, which makes it easier for the seed to sprout and grow.
Further Reading
- Floyd, A.G., Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia, Inkata Press 1989, ISBN: 0-909605-57-2
See also
In Spanish: Emmenosperma alphitonoides para niños
