Britain, Europe, Caucasus & Alborz Mts. (Iran). Broadly columnar, deciduous tree with stout greenish-grey shoots with jet black buds. Leaves with 7-13 coarsely serrate leaflets, late into leaf & early to fall. Flowers before the leaves, developing into bunches of 'keys'. Vigorous grower, best on deep moist to wet soils but tolerates much drier soils, enjoys limestone. Valuable light coloured hardwood timber for tool handles, sports goods, and joinery. Steams and bends well. Coppices readily, producing straight poles and rods. Great firewood, burns cut green.

Manna ash - from south Europe and southwest Asia. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Bark is dark grey remaining smooth. Leaves with 5-9 broad ovoid leaflets, autumn colours yellow or purple. Conspicuous clusters of small fragrant white flowers, insect pollinated, developing into bunches of slender samaras. Sap produces a sugary extract 'manna'. Very drought tolerant and used as a street tree.

Broadly columnar, deciduous. Leaves and shoots densely clothed with grey, velvety down. Suited to dry climates and summer heat. Yellow autumn colour. Used as an understock.

E.USA. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Thornless variety producing long brown pods which are edible by stock. Yellow leaves in autumn. Light shade with fairly open crown. Wood is hard & coarse grained. The red-brown heartwood is very durable.