Ash

Known Locations

Unknown

Growth form:

Tree

General habitat:

'higher reaches' (dragonlovers guide)-hills/higher ground over the flat plains(?)

Uses:

• Ash bark used medicinally, as a diuretic and febrifuge.
• Ash is also a preferred wood for creating charcoal to burn in forges. Makes a moderate sustained heat.

Outside Info:

Because of the variety of trees called 'ash', it is difficult to know which to specify

Additional Info

Ash, is a genus of flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45–65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous, though a few subtropical species are evergreen.

The tree's common English name, "ash", traces back to the Old English æsc which relates to the Proto-Indo-European for the tree, while the generic name originated in Latin from a Proto-Indo-European word for birch. Both words are also used to mean "spear" in their respective languages as the wood is good for shafts.[9] The leaves are opposite (rarely in whorls of three), and mostly pinnately compound, simple in a few species. The seeds, popularly known as "keys" or "helicopter seeds", are a type of fruit known as a samara. Most Fraxinus species are dioecious, having male and female flowers on separate plants[10] but gender in ash is expressed as a continuum between male and female individuals, dominated by unisexual trees. With age, ash may change their sexual function from predominantly male and hermaphrodite towards femaleness;[11] if grown as an ornamental and both sexes are present, ashes can cause a considerable litter problem with their seeds.

• Harpers, Ash can be used for acoustic gitar bodies, known for its bright, cutting edge and sustaining quality. They are also used for making drum shells.

It lights and burns easily, so is used for starting fires and barbecues, and is usable for maintaining a fire, though it produces only moderate heat. The green ash is widely planted as a decorative tree. The inner bark of the blue ash has been used as a source for blue dye.

The leaves of ash are appreciated by cattle, goats, and rabbits. Cut off in the autumn, the branches can be a valuable winter supply for domestic animals.