Description

Velvet ash grows along watercourses and in other wet areas from southern California east to southwestern Utah, Texas, and northern Mexico. In California, it grows in scattered populations in the southern Sierra Nevada, Mojave, and Sonoran deserts. The leaves are usually, but not always, covered in fine hairs giving them a velvet feel. This deciduous tree reaches 50' tall and 30-40' wide. Leaves are oval shaped, turning yellow in fall. Flowers are inconspicuous. Green colored fruit appear in summer or fall, favored by some wildlife. Bark is light gray and fissured. This tree produces some leaf and fruit litter. It can grow in most kinds of soil and prefers full sun.