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BLESSINGS IN BLOOM: The Ash Tree
For centuries, ashes have been a significant symbol for Catholics during the month of February. We all share in the anticipation of Ash Wednesday and what our sacred Lenten journey will bring. The ash tree has also been here for many centuries contributing quietly to our American culture.
The wood from the white ash tree is extremely strong and versatile. It doesn’t break under great pressure and can be bent into different shapes without losing its strength. It is often used in making baseball bats, tennis racquets, hockey sticks and yes, our own beloved church pews. Green ash trees don’t have the straight grain of the white ash, but they are just as tough. History has taught us that American Indians used green ash branches for making their bows, and the young stems for the shaft of their arrows.
Ash trees can be identified two ways. One, the branches and buds grow directly across from each other and do not stagger. Keep in mind that wind or storm damage may cause breakage therefore preventing an opposite mate. Two, their leaves are compound and have 5-11 leaflets. The only other oppositely branched tree with compound leaves is the box elder, which almost always has three to five leaflets. Ash leaves are 8-15 inches long with leaflets that range from 2-6 inches in length. Leaves are dark green in color with lighter undersides. These trees can grow from 50 feet tall and 50 feet wide. If the conditions are right, they can grow much taller and wider. When planting one in your yard, make sure it has plenty of room to grow.
In our diocese, there are many varieties of ash trees available from our local garden centers. A few that made the Colorado State University recommended list include; Autumn Purple, Marshalls Seedless, Patmore, Summit and Fall Gold (black ash). You will find a more comprehensive description of large deciduous trees at the university’s link www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07419.html. This will also help you plan for color, size and shape.
Trees truly are an important aspect of our environment. They provide oxygen, shade and erosion control; they are sound and wind barriers too. This Ash Wednesday we will attend Mass on the first day of Lent. Praying and sitting on our church pews, those blessed pews might have been made from the powerful white ash tree.
(If you would like your gardening questions answered by Kerry Peetz, e-mail editor@coloradocatholicherald.com. Peetz is a master gardener and a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs.)
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