green ash

Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) is a species of tree native to North America, commonly found in the eastern and central United States and parts of Canada. It is a valuable timber-producing tree, known for its wood's stiffness, strength, and light weight, making it suitable for items like baseball bats and tool handles.1

However, green ash trees are highly susceptible to the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), an invasive beetle species from East Asia. This beetle has caused the death of hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America since its introduction in the 1990s. The larvae tunnel into the tree's phloem, disrupting its vascular system and leading to the tree's death, often within a few years of infestation.2