King's Head Meadow - Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Close to the children’s play area and the touchline of the football pitch, this Ash tree provides cooling and much-needed shade on a hot day. It has a companion in Central Hall car park and another in the car park of the Roman Catholic church (on Norwich Rd), overhanging King’s Head Meadow.
Ash is easily recognisable by its distinctive black velvety buds shaped like a bishop’s mitre and its winged fruit, known as ‘keys’. The light green leaves are pinnate, comprised of several pairs of leaflets, and fall in the autumn while they are still green.
The Ash, with its deep strong roots, is associated with healing and protection in Viking mythology and British folklore. It reminds us of our need for nurturing our connection with the natural world.
Ash is an important long-lived native tree, a valued part of the national treescape. It is hugely valuable to biodiversity and wildlife, supporting over 1000 species, including mammals, birds, insects, plants and lichen.
Although still the third most common tree in the UK, it is under threat from ash dieback, which could devastate the UK ash population. Careful management is needed to protect existing ash trees, with advice being provided by the Tree Council for both tree owners and local authorities.
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This particular tree has been home to some impressive bracket fungi in the past, though seems unaffected by their presence, to date.