Fraxinus pennsylvanica Urbanite®

Urbanite Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Urbdell') is a broad pyramidal shade tree that grows fast to about 12m tall and 8m wide, then holds a clean, symmetrical head with very little help. It was selected for street and car park conditions, so heat, wind, drought and poor compacted soil are all within its range. In autumn the canopy turns bronze to purple before the leaves drop.

Why you'll love it

• Shade in a hurry. A genuinely fast grower, so a bare block has usable canopy years earlier than with a slower tree.
• Bronze to purple autumn colour. A deeper autumn than the yellow most ashes give, and it holds well before the leaves turn and fall.
• Built for hard sites. Frost hardy, heat and drought tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, which is why it is used along streets and car parks.
• Winter sun, summer shade. Being deciduous, it shades the house through summer and lets the winter light back in once the canopy is bare.

Where it works best

Shade tree for a large garden. Give it room: at 8m wide it wants at least 5m of clearance from a house, a fence line or a boundary.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 8m to 10m apart along a driveway so the mature canopies meet overhead without crowding each other. The even, repeatable form is what makes an avenue line up.

Feature planting. A single specimen on a lawn reads well from every side.

Growing Urbanite Ash in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. This is a cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid climate tree, so it performs across southern Australia and the dry inland. It is not the pick for the humid tropics or subtropics, where deciduous ash colours poorly.

Soil. Adaptable, including compacted and low fertility ground. It still establishes faster in a well prepared hole with compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep out to the drip line and keep it off the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring while the tree is young builds the canopy quickly.

Pruning. Formative pruning in the first few winters sets a single leader and lifts the lower branches to the height you want to drive under. After that it needs very little.

What to expect when it arrives

Sizes run from a 400mm pot through 45L, 75L, 100L, 200L, 400L and 750L. The 400mm and 45L trees are the value entry point and catch up quickly given water. From 100L upward you are buying real trunk calliper and immediate height.

Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. If it arrives bare in winter that is normal for a deciduous tree, and it will leaf out in spring. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing trees to line a driveway
• Browse driveway and avenue trees
• Compare trees with autumn colour
• Advanced trees for immediate height

Common questions

How far from the house should I plant it?

Allow at least 5m, more if you can. The canopy spreads to about 8m, so a tree planted tight to a wall needs constant pruning to keep it off the roof.

How fast does it actually grow?

Fast for a shade tree, particularly in the first five years with water and a spring feed. Growth slows as it nears its mature 12m, and is slower again in dry inland gardens without irrigation.

Does it drop a lot of leaf?

Yes, in autumn, as any deciduous tree does. The drop is concentrated over a few weeks rather than spread across the year, which most people find easier to manage.

Will it cope with frost?

It is frost hardy and well suited to cold districts. Young trees still benefit from a stake and a clear, weed free circle around the base for the first two winters.