Life History & Disturbance Response of Fraxinus sp. ash sp

Family: Oleaceae
Guild: opportunistic, fast-growing understory tolerant
Functional Lifeform: medium-size to large deciduous tree
Ecological Role: found on a range of sites from moist, well-drained soils to poorly-drained flats and swamp margins; often a significant component of mixed hardwood forests on upland sites but may occur as scattered individuals in bottomland forests; generally becomes less shade tolerant with age; often persists as a subdominant
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 125-250/150-300
Shade Tolerance: intermediate
Height, m: 18-30
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 10-20/40/125
Mast Frequency, yrs: 3-5
New Cohorts Source: seeds or sprouts
Flowering Dates: late spring
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: yes
Seedfall Begins: early fall
Seed Banking: 1yr +
Cold Stratification Required: yes
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: winged/ to 200 m/ wind, water
Season of Germination: spring
Seedling Rooting System: variable
Sprouting: seedling and stump sprouts common
Establishment Seedbed Preferences
Substrate: variable
Light: overstory shade
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire: Most ash populations will tolerate occasional fire. Although they have thin bark and are readily topkilled by fire, they generally sprout prolifically from the root crown or root sucker. Seedling establishment probably occurs two years after the fire from seeds of surviving trees onsite or from offsite seeds carried by wind.
Weather: Most ash species are tolerant of flooding.