Oleaceae family, Oleaceae
Origin: the east of North America
Habitat in the original area: surroundings of watercourses, a pioneer tree of disturbed areas
Habitus: The tree grows up to 25 metres; its bark is brown and furrowed. At the ends of its branches, there are rusty brown buds.
Leaf: Odd-pinnate leaves are up to 30 centimetres long. They consist of 7–9 oblong-lanceolate leaflets which are up to 15 centimetres long. The green glossy blade is serrated along the edges, pubescent on the underside; it turns bright yellow in autumn.
Bloom, fruit: It is a dioecious tree (male blooms are found on one tree, female flowers on another one). It blooms from April to May with inconspicuous unisexual yellow-green blossoms arranged in panicles. The fruit is an acorn, the wing of which is expanded like a bat.
Interesting fact: In the USA, its hard wood is used to make baseball bats and paddles.
