Well in our studies, we found a rhyme I never heard but it does make sense. Here is the rhyme. "Ash before the Oak, in for a soak, Oak before Ash in for a splash." What does this all mean. well in theory if an Ash tree leaves before an Oak tree in the spring, it is going to be a wet rainy summer, however, if the oak tree leaves before the ash tree, it is going to be just a splash of rain here and there.
Ash trees are more common in the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the European Ash Tree being one of the most dominant trees in the European Landscape.
Ash trees are familiar to us all. The leaves are the most interesting part of an ash tree, they even have as distinctive name. The set of leaves that have leaflets on opposite sides of a central leaf stalk is called, pinnate leaves. They turn a gorgeous yellow and purple color in the autumn.
Ash trees can tolerate a wide varieties of soil, if you remember back to the beech tree page, ash trees are one of those three that can tolerate extreme alkaline soil, but an ash tree can also handle very acidic soil. Ash trees are one of a few woody trees that can handle limestone hills. Clay like and waterlogged soils pose no threat to ash trees. They actually are happiest in hard and heavy soils.
Most Ash trees are clones and are grafted because it generally takes about 2 years for an ash seed to germinate. There are a couple of species of ash trees that are evergreen styles but they are generally found in botanical collections. Some grow smaller due to the warmer climate and the drought that comes with it.
