California ash (Fraxinus dipetala) is a beautiful flowering tree or shrub native to the California Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills, growing at elevations of 300 to 4,300 feet. It has light to dark green serrated leaves and produces sweetly scented white flowers in fluffy clusters. The fruit is a long, winged seed (samara) that hangs in bunches.
This drought-adapted tree thrives in various soils, including heavy clay, and benefits from occasional summer water. It also supports wildlife, serving as a host plant for the pale tiger swallowtail butterfly, whose larvae overwinter in rolled-up leaves. With pruning, it can be shaped into a lovely multi-trunked specimen tree.