Golden Ash

Golden Ash (Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea') is a fast growing deciduous shade tree reaching about 10m tall and 7m wide. The foliage opens soft yellow green in spring, holds that lift all summer, then turns clear butter yellow in autumn before dropping to let the winter sun back onto the house. For a cool or temperate garden that needs real shade within a few seasons rather than a decade, it is hard to beat.

Why you'll love it

• Real shade, quickly. A 7m canopy covers a lawn or a patio without a fifteen year wait.
• Golden foliage all season. The yellow tone shows from spring bud burst, not just for a fortnight in autumn.
• Winter sun, summer shade. It shades the house through the hottest months, then drops its leaves when you want the light back.
• Tough once established. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and drought tolerant, so it handles exposed blocks and cold inland winters.
• Built for an avenue. The upright, evenly branched habit makes a matched driveway row look deliberate.

Where it works best

Shade tree on a lawn. Allow a clear 8m radius. Crowding a 7m canopy against a fence gives you a lopsided tree and an annual pruning job.

Driveways and avenues. Space plants 8m to 10m apart so canopies just meet at full size. Keep the row 4m back from the edge, because the surface roots are vigorous and will lift concrete.

Feature planting on acreage. A single specimen on open ground shows the full spreading crown.

Growing Golden Ash in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. This is a tree for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens: Victoria, Tasmania, the tablelands, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth. It is genuinely frost hardy and wants winter chill to colour well. In humid subtropical and tropical gardens the autumn display is muted and unreliable.

Soil. Not fussy about type provided the site drains. Work compost through the backfill and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off. Established trees rarely need water outside a severe dry, and a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty.

Pruning. Prune in winter while it is dormant and the structure is visible. Remove crossing limbs early to build a strong framework, and lift the lower branches if you want to mow underneath.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in 300mm and 400mm pots and in 45L and 100L sizes. The 300mm and 400mm plants are young whips with a single leader, and they put on the fastest relative growth once planted. The 45L and 100L trees arrive with a formed trunk and real height for an avenue or an immediate shade line.

Because it is deciduous, a tree despatched between late autumn and early spring arrives bare of leaves. That is normal, not a fault. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing between evergreen and deciduous trees
• Browse the full deciduous tree range
• Compare fast growing shade trees
• See more plants with strong autumn colour

Common questions

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 8m, further if space allows. The canopy spreads to about 7m and the surface roots are vigorous, so keep it well clear of paving, pipes and foundations.

Will it colour up in a warm climate?

The golden foliage shows all season regardless, but the clean butter yellow autumn display depends on cold nights. Victoria, Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills get the best of it, while warm coastal gardens see a softer, briefer change.

How quickly will it give me shade?

With water through the first two summers, expect useful shade within four to six years from a 45L tree. Smaller pot sizes catch up fast and often overtake a stressed advanced tree.