Fraxinus nigra Marsh.

• Main Authors: Black Ash, R. Mohlenbrock
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basket ash; hoop ash; brown ash; swamp ash; water; Indian; Malecite
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.369.5413; http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_frni.pdf

darker colored with more grain and used largely for furniture and interior finish. Ethnobotanic: Black ash is an important tree for the making of lacrosse sticks used by the Mohawk and other tribes of the Eastern United States. Trunks at least 6 to 8 inches across are harvested for their bark. The Abnaki, Ojibwa, Malecite, Meskwaki, and other cultural groups use the bark to make baskets. The inner bark of the black ash was used to make a bark barrel by the Iroquois which was used for storing dried vegetables, fruits, and seeds, as well as clothing. The tree traditionally was a valuable medicine to many tribes in Eastern North America. The Iroquois steeped the bark of the tree together with the roots and bark of other plants to treat rheumatism. The Menomini used the inner bark of the trunk as a valuable medicine and as a seasoner for other medicines. The Meskwaki made a tea from a mixture of the wood with the root of Smilacina racemosa to loosen the bowels. They also used the inner bark of the trunk as a remedy for any internal ailments. Non-Indian settlers used a bark infusion as a bitter tonic. Black ash is not an outstanding ornamental, but it is cold tolerant, good for wet soils, and relatively tolerant of atmospheric pollution. Cultivars and hybrids have been developed, emphasizing upright growth, oval crown form, growth vigor, bright yellow fall foliage, persistence of fall foliage, and seedlessness.