This species is closely related to Fraxinus ornus[].

Common Name: Himalayan Ash

General Information

Fraxinus floribunda is a briefly deciduous tree with a straight bole; it can grow up to 25 metres tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Fraxinus floribunda is a widespread tree species with a wide altitudinal range. No specific threats are known The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Asia - Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, southern China, southern Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam.

Habitat

Rich moist soils in forests, at elevations from 1,200 - 2,700 metres in the Himalayas[, ]. Dense forests, mixed woods of valleys, roadsides; from sea level to 2,600 metres in western China[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Himalayan ash can be found from the warmer temperate zone through to higher elevations in the tropics. It has a very wide natural range in the wild and so selected provenances should be chosen depending on where the plant is going to be grown[].
Prefers a deep loamy soil, even if it is on the heavy side[, ]. Most members of this genus are gross feeders and require a rich soil[, ]. Plants succeed when growing in exposed positions[] and also in alkaline soils[]. Plants tolerate atmospheric pollution[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms must be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

A manna is obtained by incision of the trunk[, , ]. It is used as a sweetener but is laxative if used in quantity[, ].

Medicinal

The manna obtained from incisions in the stem is a safe and gentle laxative[, , ].

The young shoots are abortifacient[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Fraxinus species in general are gross feeders with an extensive, fibrous root system, which makes transplanting easy, but means that other species will often not grow well if planted nearby, especially if they are shallow rooted[],

Other Uses

The pinkish white wood is moderately hard, tough. It can be used in construction and for oars, ploughs, poles etc[, , , ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

The seed is best harvested green - as soon as it is fully developed but before it has fully dried on the tree - and can then be sown immediately in a nursery seedbed[]. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification and is best sown as soon as possible in a nursery seedbed[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
The seed lies dormant in the ground for a whole year after falling from the tree, and transplanting from the nursery is therefore better than direct sowing. Seed may be sown as soon as it is ripe in a nursery seedbed, or can be sown after the cold season. In either case it germinates after the following cold season, either seventeen or twelve months later as the case may be. Transplanting is preferably done in the cold season, with seedhngs kept about two seasons in the nursery. During the first season the growth of the seedhng is comparatively slow, but during the second season it is usually faster, a height of 60cm being attainable by the end of the season under favourable conditions, while by the end of the third season a height of 90 - 150cm Is ordinarily attained[].

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