Tree
Raywood Ash
Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood' · Oleaceae
Also called: Claret Ash, Raywood
Raywood Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood') is a moderate-water tree well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 25-45 ft tall, 25-35 ft wide in full sun, with a moderate to fast growth rate.
Raywood Ash at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun.
- Mature size
- 25-45 ft tall, 25-35 ft wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Bloom
- Insignificant (grown for claret-red to purple fall color), Inconspicuous early spring; grown for foliage, not flowers (seedless cultivar)
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy well below Tucson winter lows (to about 0°F); no frost concern in zones 9a-9b.
- Soil
- Prefers deep, well-drained soil with adequate moisture; struggles in shallow, caliche, or poorly drained soils.
- Native range
- Species native to southern Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia; 'Raywood' is an Australian-selected cultivar (syn. Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood')
- Best used as
- Deciduous shade tree, Fall color accent, Lawn/park tree (where adapted)
- Wildlife
- Limited wildlife value; minor cover for birds.
- Toxicity
- Not considered toxic to people or pets.
How to grow Raywood Ash in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Needs regular deep irrigation in Tucson; deep soak every 7-10 days in summer, every 3-4 weeks in winter. Not a low-water tree and shows stress and dieback under drought.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Apply a balanced or slow-release tree fertilizer in early spring. Prone to iron and other micronutrient chlorosis in alkaline desert soil; treat with chelated iron/zinc as needed.
Pruning & care
Prune in late winter to establish strong structure and remove weak or crossing limbs. Whitewash the trunk of young trees with dilute white latex paint to prevent sunscald, which is a common killer in Tucson.
Notes
Valued for reddish-purple fall color, which is muted and unreliable in Tucson's mild autumns. NOT generally recommended for the low desert: highly susceptible to lethal ash decline (phytoplasma) that kills trees over 5-10 years, plus severe trunk sunscald and chlorosis. Better suited to higher-elevation Arizona towns (2,500-7,000 ft). Suggest more reliable shade trees for Tucson clients.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona State University (Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants); Pima County / Arizona ash decline extension guidance