Velvet Ash

Velvet Ash (Fraxinus velutina) is the shade tree for a hot, exposed block. It grows fast to about 10m tall and 7m wide, with a broad even canopy, and turns clear gold before the leaves drop in autumn. Heat, drought, wind and poor soil are its normal working conditions, which is why it has been an inland street tree for decades.

Why you'll love it

• Shade in a hurry. Fast growing, so a young tree shades a patio or driveway in a few seasons rather than a decade.
• Golden autumn colour. The whole canopy turns clean gold before dropping, a real change of season.
• Built for hard sites. Drought, heat and wind tolerant, and comfortable in poor soil.
• Summer shade, winter sun. Deciduous, so it shades the house in January and lets the low winter sun through in July.

Where it works best

Shade trees. Keep it about 5m clear of the house so the mature canopy has room and the gutters stay clear.

Driveways and avenues. Set trees 8m to 10m apart along a drive and each holds its full width. Tighten to 6m if you want the canopies to meet overhead sooner.

Windbreaks. Wind tolerant enough for an exposed paddock edge or rural boundary. A staggered double row at 6m to 8m spacing filters wind rather than blocking it.

Growing Velvet Ash in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and the more open the better. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean, arid and semi-arid gardens, and it is frost hardy, so it works in cold inland districts. Humid tropical and subtropical gardens are not its country.

Soil. Undemanding. It handles poor, alkaline and stony ground, and only objects to soil that stays waterlogged. Break up compacted ground across a wide planting hole, not a deep one.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers to drive the roots down, then it looks after itself. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough, and mulch 75mm deep out to the drip line.

Pruning. Prune in winter while it is bare. Remove crossing limbs early and lift the lower branches gradually for a clear trunk, because fast growth left unmanaged leaves tight branch unions that split later.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in 45L, an advanced tree with a formed trunk and a head of branches, not a whip. It needs proper staking on a windy site.

A winter delivery may arrive bare of leaves, which is normal for a deciduous tree, not a fault. Expect it to sit quietly for a season, then move quickly. Plants are delivered Australia wide, 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

• Compare fast growing shade trees
• Choosing shade trees for paddocks and rural blocks
• Plants for windbreaks and exposed boundaries
• Browse trees and plants with autumn colour

Common questions

How quickly will it give shade?

From a 45L tree, expect meaningful shade over a seating area in three to four seasons and a full canopy in about ten years. Growth slows on dry unimproved ground, so the first two summers of watering pay off.

How close to the house can I plant it?

Allow about 5m from a wall so the mature canopy is not scraping the roof. At 10m by 7m, give it the room now rather than pruning it back forever.

Does it drop a lot of leaves?

Yes, all of them, over a few weeks in autumn. That is the trade for winter sun and golden colour. The leaves are small and break down quickly as mulch.