Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Fraxinus excelsior, known as the ash, or European ash or common ash to distinguish it from other types of ash, is a flowering plant species in the olive family Oleaceae. It is native throughout mainland Europe east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains, and west to Great Britain and Ireland, the latter determining its western boundary.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_excelsior
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Family
Oleaceae
Genus
Fraxinus
Ash belongs to the family Oleaceae, order Lamiales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Fraxinus excelsior, known as the ash, or European ash or common ash to distinguish it from other types of ash, is a flowering plant species in the olive family Oleaceae. It is native throughout mainland Europe east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains, and west to Great Britain and Ireland, the latter determining its western boundary. The northernmost location is in the Trondheimsfjord region of Norway. The species is widely cultivated and reportedly naturalised in New Zealand and in scattered locales in the United States and Canada. The wood has many uses as it is flexible, workable, strong and lightweight.
European Ash faces severe population decline primarily due to ash dieback disease caused by the invasive fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, which has devastated ash populations across Europe since the 1990s. Additional pressures from the invasive emerald ash borer beetle, habitat fragmentation, and climate change further threaten the species' long-term survival.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
European Ash occurs in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, woodland edges, hedgerows, and riparian areas across Europe, typically preferring moist, fertile soils in lowland and montane regions up to 1,500m elevation. The species is commonly found in association with oak, beech, and other broadleaved trees in temperate forest ecosystems.
Threats
Ash dieback disease (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus)
Emerald ash borer beetle invasion
Climate change impacts
Habitat fragmentation and loss
Secondary pest and pathogen infections
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (VU).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | NTNear Threatened | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
| EU | NTNear Threatened | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
| EU | NTNear Threatened | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
| EU | NTNear Threatened | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/ash