Japanese ash

Fraxinus lanuginosa f. serrata

Flower name
Japanese ash
Scientific name
Fraxinus lanuginosa f. serrata
Alias青梻
Place of originJapan and the Korean Peninsula
Place of floweringLow mountains
Flowering seasonApril, May

What is Japanese ash

Japanese ash、Aodamo tree、Aodamo (青梻, scientific name: Fraxinus lanuginosa f. serrata) is a variety of Arage Aodamo (Fraxinus lanuginosa), a deciduous broad-leaved medium to tall tree of the genus Fraxinus in the olive family (Oleaceae), native to Japan, the southern Kuril Islands, and the Korean Peninsula.
It is also known by other names such as Koba-no-Toneriko, Aotago, and in English, it is called Japanese ash or Aodamo tree.
In Japan, it grows wild in the mountainous regions of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

The tree grows to about 5 meters in height and forms multiple stems from the base.
Its wood is elastic, strong in bending, durable, and has beautiful grain, making it suitable for baseball bats, rackets, skis, and other uses.

Language of flowers (Hanakotoba) for Aodamo:
"Aspiration for the future"
"Happy days"

Origin of the name:
The Japanese name "Aodamo" comes from the fact that when its branches are soaked in water, the water turns "Ao (blue/green)".
"Tamo" refers to broad-leaved trees of the Fraxinus genus in the olive family and their timber.

Types of Tamo:
Aodamo (青梻)
Yachidamo (谷地梻)
Maruba Damo (丸葉梻)

Aodamo is about half the height of Yachidamo and is used for sporting equipment like baseball bats.
The term "Tamo wood" generally refers to Yachidamo, which is used for making large building materials and furniture.
The difference between Maruba Aodamo (Fraxinus sieboldiana) and Aodamo (Fraxinus lanuginosa f. serrata) is whether there are serrations on the leaf margins.

Maruba Aodamo(Fraxinus sieboldiana) – Serrations are indistinct
Aodamo – Medium tree, serrations are clear
Yachidamo – Tall tree, used for building materials

General Information:
Common name: Aodamo (青梻)
Scientific name: Fraxinus lanuginosa f. serrata
Other names: Koba-no-Toneriko, Aotago, Japanese ash, Aodamo tree
Native to: Japan, southern Kuril Islands, Korean Peninsula
Distribution: Mountainous regions of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu
Growth form: Deciduous broad-leaved medium to tall tree
Height: 5m to max. 15m; Diameter: 50–60cm; Multi-stemmed
Bark color: Grayish green to dark brown
Leaf shape: Odd-pinnate compound leaves, 10–15 cm long; Each compound leaf has 3–7 leaflets
Leaf arrangement: Opposite; Leaflet size: 4–10 cm; Shape: Oblong; Margin: Serrated; Color: Light green turning yellow in autumn
Dioecious (separate male and female trees)
Blooming period: April to May
Flower location: Tips of current-year branches or leaf axils
Inflorescence: Panicle; Color: White; Small flowers
Corolla: 4-lobed; Lobes are linear, 0.7 cm long
Perfect flowers: 1 pistil and 2 stamens; Male flowers: 2 stamens
Fruiting period: September to October
Fruit type: Samara; Shape: Lanceolate; Length: 2–3 cm; Width: 0.5 cm; Color: Pink
Uses: Garden tree, street tree, park tree, symbolic tree; Wood used for baseball bats and tennis rackets