Raywood Ash, Claret Ash      FRAKS-i-nus oks-i-KAR-pa

• Broadleaf deciduous tree, 30-40(80) ft [9-12(24) m], narrow when young.  Leaves opposite, but often whorls of 3 or 4 at ends of branches, pinnately compound, 7-9 narrow leaflets, each 4-6.5 cm long, clean-looking, dark green, good fall color (rich red-purple), but variable.  More or less a male clone, hence very few seed produced.  But female flowers and subsequently seeds are formed on some trees every year.  Most male flower appear in winter in Corvallis (Jan.-Feb.) and the uncommon female flowers a month or more later.
• Sun, some drought tolerance.  Prone to toppling.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 5     Species native to southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus.  F. oxycarpa is closely allied with F. angustifolia, and some authorities list is as a subspecies (F. angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa).  However, others do not consider the differences between F. angustifolia and the oxycarpa form (hairlessness and leaflet number) sufficient to justify a subspecific identity, hence the oxycarpa form is "lumped" into F. angustifolia.  And thus this selection is considered F. angustifolia ‘Raywood’.
• ‘Raywood’ was selected in Australia in about 1910, and in the British nursery trade by 1928.   It was not introduced into North America until about 1956, and not in large scale commerce until about 1979 (Jacobson, 1996).  ‘Flame’ and ‘Dr. Pirone’ are very similar, if not identical.
• oxycarpa: with pointed fruits
• Oregon State Univ. campus: east side of parking lot south of Crop Science, along 30th St.