Leaf Identification of the White Ash

Size

• The white ash leaf features a central axis stem growing to lengths between 8 and 15 inches. These long stems grow from the branches and attached to this axis are leaflets, growing to between 2 and 6 inches long. On a white ash leaf, there are usually seven leaflets. However, there can be as few as five leaflets or as many as nine on each central axis.

Color

• The color of white ash leaves on their upper surfaces is a dark green. The underside of the leaves led to the tree's name, as they are a whitish-green shade. In autumn, white ash leaves take on a yellowish shade, but as the season progresses, some white ash trees change to shades of red or purple. The fall color is often "quite showy" on certain white ash trees, notes the University of Connecticut Plant Database.

Other Characteristics

• The leaflets on a white ash leaf attach to the central stem by means of a very short stalk. The edges of these leaflets are either smooth or have serration so fine, they are barely visible to the naked eye. The leaflets grow out on the stem in pairs, one opposite the other, except for the odd leaflet that develops at the very end of the stem. White ash is one of the last trees in its range to leaf out in the springtime. The flowers, which bloom in April and May, appear before the leaves do.

Cultivar Leaves

• "Autumn Purple" is a white ash cultivar known for its fall foliage. The leaves turn to a reddish-purple color or a deep purple shade. Bronze-red or yellowish fall leaves are the trademark of the "Rosehill" cultivar. The "Autumn Applause" cultivar changes from green to a deep red in fall. "Greenspire" is a type with orange foliage come autumn. The autumn leaves of "Skycole" become red and orange, while purple is the main hue of the "Jeffnor" cultivar in the fall.