Fraxinus uhdei ‘Apollo’

Fraxinus uhdei is considered to be a large tree. When young, the tree trunk is green and smooth, and, as it matures, the trunk turns grayish and develops grooves. This ash tree is considered to be semi-deciduous: in many parts of Israel, its leave change color almost completely, and this tendency increases as the tree matures. Some even present a spectacular fall color show ranging from yellow to orange, but in most parts of the country, this will be for a short time. The length of time it sheds its leaves obviously depends on the weather and the microclimate of the area where it grows: the colder the winter in its area, the earlier its leaves will change color and the greater the chances of showing the impressive autumnal colors. In areas where the winter months are warmer, the shedding period will be shorter and will sometimes even occur at the same time as the tree flowers and its new leaves come in. This is apparently how it earned its Hebrew misnomer: the evergreen ash. Fraxinus uhdei, just like its sibling Fraxinus syriaca, proclaims the end of the rainy season and is one of the first to “awake” from winter slumber and start to blossom. At the end of January and beginning of February, its green bloom begins, which have no horticultural importance, together with the growing of the leaves. In its early years, the tree is more sensitive to sunshine and prolonged cold spells. Once established, the tree will be resistant to the relatively extreme weather conditions found in Israel. The ash will thrive in heavy soils. Auxiliary watering will help achieve richer, longer and more vital greenery. Ash trees are dioecious (separate male and female trees). Male trees present a full and uniform foliage appearance throughout most of the year (until fall), and in contrast, female trees present a varied and uneven display, from individuals with little fruit to those loaded with fruit.

‘Apollo’ is an outstanding cultivar of Fraxinus uhdei that is characterized by a relatively narrow shape at the top. Unlike usual ash trees, which tend to be round, large and wide (up to 15 m), this cultivar is significantly narrower (less than half the canopy diameter of a mature tree!) so it has more diverse uses as an ornament. Nevertheless, Apollo’s thin structure and the branch form do not create structural failures as in other problematic cultivars. The ‘Apollo’ is a male tree, which improves its suitability for the ornamental field even more because there are no pods to crowd the foliage or dirty its surroundings. The tree’s foliage is vital and full. Fraxinus uhdei’s good qualities, in addition to the benefit of a narrow and tight canopy, make the ‘Apollo’ a cultivar with tremendous potential to become an outstanding popular roadside tree, which we are sure will beautify the streets and boulevards of our country in the coming years.

Due to the genetic diversity in ash trees, it is highly recommended to plant ‘excellent’ varieties: those that have been professionally identified and carefully selected. These will give a uniform look and show the preferred features of the complex cultivar. These are the ‘Apollo,’ ‘Nova’ and ‘Full Moon’ cultivars that can be found in our list of grafted trees in the nursery.

Additional trees from the same family:
Fraxinus uhdei | Fraxinus uhdei ‘Nova’ | Fraxinus uhdei ‘Full Moon’ | Fraxinus uhdei ‘Apollo’ | Fraxinus syriaca | Fraxinus syriaca ‘Gan haVradim’| Fraxinus Syriaca ‘Inbali’ | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Fraxinus pennsylvanica ‘Sunrise’ | Fraxinus angustifolia ssp. oxycarpa ‘Raywood’