Flowers in showy white panicles, 1-5 in., on last year's twigs; generally bisexual; flowers with 2 white, lobe-shaped petals, 3/16 in., fused with filaments at the base; calyx green, thin, may be toothed; 2 stamens, 1 pistil; stye obscurely lobed; brownish anthers; stigma in center cleft. Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.

California Flowering-Ash(Foothill Ash, Chaparral Flowering Ash)

Fraxinus dipetala

A single-stemmed 6 to 18 ft. tall, winter-deciduous, shrubby tree, frequent on dry shaded slopes in chaparral, often bordering streams; Santa Ana Mountains (Roberts). It is unrelated to true ash.  Fruit a single-seeded samara, 3/4 to 1 1/4 in. long, broadly winged to near the base.  Flowers appear in spring with the leaves.  Flowering March -  April. 


Flower in bud; new leaves. Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.
The stems are cylindric and usually four-angled.  Leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, 3-7 leaflets, 2 to 6 in. long; leaflets 3/4 to 4 1/2 in. long, egg-shaped to round, usually serrate margins, on short petioles. Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.

Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.


Flower buds with petals just opening; fresh greeinish-yellow anthers. Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.

Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.
Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.

Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.
Maple Springs Rd., Cleveland National Forest, Orange Co., CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise.

Dry seed, Skyline Drive to Beek's Place, 10-14-12. © Ron Vanderhoff.