Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Southeasternflora.com

Fraxinus caroliniana

Fraxinus caroliniana Mill.

Carolina Ash, Pop Ash, Water Ash, Swamp Ash, Florida Ash, Poppy Ash

Oleaceae (Olive Family)

Synonym(s): Fraxinus caroliniana var. cubensis, Fraxinus caroliniana var. oblanceolata, Fraxinus pauciflora

USDA Symbol: frca3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Tree with 1, or sometimes more than 1, trunk, often enlarged at base and leaning, and a rounded or narrow crown.

Carolina Ash is the ash that ranges farthest to the southeast. Its large, broadly winged, flat keys are distinctive. The soft lightweight wood is not used commercially.

From the Image Gallery

5 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Fruit Type: Samara
Size Notes: Up to about 45 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX , VA
Native Distribution: NE. Virginia to S. Florida and west to SE. Texas; to 500' (152 m); also a variety in Cuba.
Native Habitat: Wet soils of swamps and riverbanks flooded part of year; in swamp forests.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Shade
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL				OBL

This information is derived from: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (2023). 2022 National Wetland Plant List, version 3.6. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. https://wetland-plants.usace.army.mil/. Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 298 - Field Guide to Texas Trees (1999) Simpson, B.J.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Fraxinus caroliniana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Fraxinus caroliniana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Fraxinus caroliniana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2025-02-14
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back