Ash

Scientific name: Fraxinus excelsior Common name: European ash Widespread throughout Europe, as far as the Caucasus, the Ash belongs to the Oleaceae family. A tree up to 40 meters tall, with an erect trunk and smooth, gray bark. It has deciduous, compound leaves with 9-13 leaflets up to 10 cm long each, dark green in color. The flowers are inconspicuous, usually grouped in clusters. The fruits are small samaras, grouped in dense pendulous clusters. It prefers moist deciduous woods, such as beech forests, and can be found up to about 1,500 meters.

In Norse mythology, Yggdrasill is the cosmic tree, a symbol of life. Its roots plunge into the underworld and house the Fates, deities of doom, while its branches support the sky. It is indeed an ash tree! This is also confirmed by other cultures. According to some Berber peoples, it is the first tree created by god. The Celts regarded ash trees as symbols of rebirth and a source of cosmic wisdom.

The European Ash is often planted in parks, large gardens, at roadsides. Also popular for dividing hedges between different properties: it is possible that its name comes from the Greek "phràssein," meaning "to separate". From its bark, tannins are extracted. The leaves, on the other hand, can become fodder for livestock in areas lacking pasture. The wood is versatile and elastic; it is used to make furniture, plywood, musical instrument parts, tennis rackets and airplane propellers. As if that were not enough, it has a variety of medicinal and medicinal uses. Through fermentation of the leaves, alcoholic beverages can be produced. For those who may not like them, an excellent diuretic tea is made from the dried leaves and fruits.