Ash, Sheringham Park, Neville Yardy 1/3
Ash leaves, David North 2/3
Ash leaves, David North 3/3

Ash Fraxinus excelsior

The Ash is an easily identifiable tree during the winter, and is widely distributed throughout the UK. It can grow to an impressive height of 30 metres.

Conservation status

In autumn 2012, first cases of the disease ash dieback were discovered in Norfolk. This is a fungal disease, which is thought to have been brought here by wind-bore spores. The infection causes wilting of the leaves, and crown dieback, usually leading to death. Young trees are particularly susceptible, and succumb quickly to the disease. The disease is present at a few of our reserves. Current advice is to not remove any plant material from infected sites. In order to try to prevent spread, you should be sure to clean mud and leaves from footwear, buggies and car wheels as much as possible before leaving infected sites. Please take care to do these checks when visiting nature reserves, countryside sites and places such as garden centres. More information can be found on The Wildlife Trust's website.

Sightings of potentially infected trees should be reported to the Forestry Commission.

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Details

Did you know?

The seeds of an ash tree stay on the tree through the winter and finally, with the help of the wind, are carried to the ground in spring. The seeds of the ash tree are known as keys – they are a favourite winter food of bullfinches.

At NWT Lower Wood, Ashwellthorpe ash trees were coppiced in the past to produce many thousands of poles used for broom handles by a local brush factory in Wymondham.

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