Fraxinus profunda (Bush) Bush. Pumpkin Ash. Phen: Apr-May; Aug-Oct. Hab: Swamps, especially along blackwater rivers and streams and in freshwater tidal wetlands (as along the James, Pamunkey, Mattaponi, and Rappahannock rivers in e. VA), also in brownwater bottomlands; common (rare in Piedmont and Mountains). Dist: S. NJ south to n. FL, west to LA, mostly on the Coastal Plain, north in the interior to w. NC, sc. TN, e. AR, se. MO, s. IL, IN, OH, sc. MI, ne. PA, and w. NY.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: This species has a peculiar distribution; see McCormac, Bissell, & Stine (1995) and Nesom (2010) for additional discussion. The nomenclature has been controversial, but is now resolved. There is also some question as to its evolutionary history and appropriate taxonomic recognition; it may be an allopolyploid derivative of F. pennsylvanica, perhaps from multiple origins. Whittemore et al. (2018) determined it to be an octoploid.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, GW2, Il, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NY, Pa, Tn, Va, W, Hardin (1974), Ward (2010a); = Fraxinus tomentosa F.Michx. – F, G, RAB, Miller (1955); > Fraxinus michauxii Britton – S; < Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall – Fl6, WH3; > Fraxinus profunda (Bush) Bush – S

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
• Midwest: OBL
• Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 5