Trees and leaves · Ash Tree
Recognising an Ash Tree
Many leaflets, but just one leaf? Puschel has to look twice. Flauschi shows him the ash and its narrow winged fruits.
The short answer
An ash leaf consists of several leaflets on one shared stalk. This arrangement is called pinnate. Compare the bark and narrow winged fruits too, rather than identifying it from one leaflet alone.
See the connection
Simplified drawings, not to scale. Not a guide for identifying species.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel counts each leaflet as a separate leaf. Flauschi traces the shared leaf stalk to the twig with him. He draws a line around the whole pinnate leaf. Now he knows which parts belong together.
Leaves made of leaflets
Many small leaflets sit along one central stalk, often with one leaflet at the tip.
Grey bark
The bark is smooth on young ash trees and becomes grey and fissured later.
Winged fruits
Narrow winged fruits often hang in bunches and can travel with the wind.
Mini quiz
What do you remember?
1. Which fruits match an ash tree?
Choose one answer: a), b) or c).
- a)Round fruits in prickly husks
- b)Acorns in small cups
- c)Winged fruits
Show answer
Correct answer: c): Winged fruits Winged fruits
2. How are ash leaves arranged?
Choose one answer: a), b) or c).
- a)A single leaf divided like a hand
- b)Leaves made of leaflets
- c)Single oval leaves
Show answer
Correct answer: b): Leaves made of leaflets Leaves made of leaflets
Word help
- pinnate
- Several leaflets form one whole leaf along a shared stalk.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Three tree clues
One leaf or many?
An ash leaf consists of several leaflets along one shared stalk. This is called a pinnate leaf. Each small green part is therefore not a whole leaf. A bud may sit where the whole leaf joins a twig; there is no separate twig bud at each leaflet. A bud is a small undeveloped structure that can grow into a new shoot bearing leaves or flowers.
Compare and understand
Compare a complete fallen ash leaf with a single oak leaf. Draw the shared stalk first, then its leaflets. Ash’s black buds can provide another clue when leaves are absent. Leaves, buds and winged fruits together tell you more than bark alone.