Blue Ash
Fraxinus quadrangulata
Found in moist to dry calcareous woodlands and forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you
73
Strong
Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 94%
- Height
- 50–70 feet
- Spread
- 50–70 feet
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?No photograph yet. Looking for an old drawing…
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- March to May
- Fruiting season
- July to October
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Recorded in 13 Alabama counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 61 animals.
- American GoldfinchCarduelis tristis
- American KestrelFalco sparverius
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Bank SwallowRiparia riparia
- Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
- Blue GrosbeakPasserina caerulea
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
- Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea
- Brown CreeperCerthia americana
- Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica
- Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
- Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
- Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus
- Downy WoodpeckerPicoides pubescens
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
- Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe
- Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asio
- Eurasian Collared-doveStreptopelia decaocto
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
119CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL
Genus host records with ranges including AL · Fraxinus
- Callosamia prometheaPromethea Moth
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Abagrotis alternataGreater Red Dart, Mottled Grey Cutworm
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acrobasis caryivorellaPecan Nursery Casemaker, Hickory Shoot Moth
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
- Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Show all 119
- Amphipyra glabellaSmooth Amphipyra
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
- Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
- Arogalea cristifasciellaStripe-Backed Moth, White Stripe-Backed Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Baileya dormitansSleeping Baileya
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Catocala habilisHabilis Underwing
- Catocala piatrixThe Penitent, Penitent Underwing
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
- Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
- Ceratomia amyntorElm Sphinx
- Ceratomia undulosaWaved Sphinx
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
- Copivaleria groteiGrote's Sallow
- Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
- Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
- Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
- Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Haploa colonaColona Moth
- Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
- Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
- Lithophane querqueraShivering Pinion
- Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
- Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Manduca jasminearumAsh Sphinx
- Manduca rusticaRustic Sphinx
- Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
- Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
- Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
- Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
- Neargyractis slossonalisDimorphic Leafcutter Moth
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
- Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Olceclostera angelicaThe Angel
- Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- Palpita magniferalisSplendid Palpita
- Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
- Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
- Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Papaipema furcataAsh-Tip Borer
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Papilio cresphontesEastern Giant Swallowtail
- Paranthrene asilipennisOak Stump Borer Moth, Oak Borer
- Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
- Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
- Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
- Plagodis kuetzingiPurple Plagodis
- Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
- Podosesia aureocinctaBanded Ash Clearwing
- Podosesia syringaeLilac Borer Moth, Ash Borer
- Prionoxystus macmurtreiLittle Carpenterworm, Lesser Oak Carpenter Worm
- Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
- Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
- Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
- Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
- Psaphida styracisFawn Sallow
- Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak, Falacer Hairstreak
- Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
- Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
- Sericaglaea signataVariable Sallow
- Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
- Sphinx canadensisCanadian Sphinx
- Sphinx franckiiFranck's Sphinx
- Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Sympistis chionanthiFringed-Tree Sallow, Grey O Moth
- Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
- Eupithecia swettii
4BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Fraxinus
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Fraxinus
- Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
- Ortalis vetulaPlain Chachalaca
- Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–7b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to alkaline
- Flower color
- Purple
- Fruit begins
- July
- Fruit ends
- October
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “March to May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Purple” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Fruit begins · “July” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–7b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “50–70 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
- primary_flower_color · “purple” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
- Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “50–70 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Alabama rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | Not available |
| AL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
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Sources
- Alabama Plant Atlas
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications