Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' - Evergreen Trees Direct

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

$700.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Title: 100L

100L 40cm/45L 400L

Current Stock Height Guides

40cm/45L: 1.2m – 2.5m Approx.
100L: 2.1m – 2.5m Approx.
400L: 2.6m – 4.5m Approx.

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 8m to 15m (approx.)

Mature Width: 8m to 10m

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (moderate-fast).

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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Email: sales@evergreentrees.com.au

Phone: (03) 7042 3318

About Your New Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea', the Golden Ash, is a deciduous tree with a rounded, spreading crown carried on smooth grey branches. New shoots and winter twigs are yellow, and the pinnate leaves open a soft lime gold before holding a clear yellow into autumn. Dark purple flower clusters appear on bare wood in spring.

It takes full sun to partial shade and grows in most soils, including heavy clay and the compacted ground common on urban sites, provided water does not sit around the roots. Cool temperate and cold districts suit it and it handles heavy frost. Growth is 30 to 60 centimetres a year, and the tree is bare through winter.

It reaches 12 to 15 metres tall and 8 to 10 metres wide, which makes it a canopy tree for parks, avenues, wide verges and larger gardens. The yellow foliage reads from a distance, so it holds a position at the end of a driveway or across a lawn. Beyond formative pruning in the early years, it asks for little.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Golden Ash

What is Golden Ash?

Golden Ash is Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea', a selected form of the European Common Ash grown for colour rather than size. The pinnate foliage carries a golden tone through the season and turns clear yellow in autumn, and the young twigs stay yellow through winter once the leaves drop. It makes a rounded, spreading canopy tree.

How big does Golden Ash grow?

Allow for 12 to 15 metres in height and 8 to 10 metres in width at maturity. It is smaller and slower than the plain green Common Ash, but it is still a full sized canopy tree and should not be planted under powerlines or hard against a boundary. Give it clear ground and it will develop an even, rounded crown.

Does Golden Ash need full sun?

Full sun gives the strongest leaf colour and the densest crown, and it is the position to aim for. The tree also grows in partial shade, though the golden tone fades towards plain green and the habit becomes more open. Avoid deep shade under existing large trees, where growth is slow and the form draws up thin and uneven.

Is Golden Ash deciduous?

Yes. Golden Ash defoliates through the colder months, dropping its leaves after the autumn display and staying bare until buds break in spring. The yellow winter twigs and grey bark carry the tree visually through that period. The bare season is useful where you want winter sun into a house or a courtyard and shade over summer.

Is Golden Ash frost tolerant?

Yes, and comfortably so. It is a cold climate European species that handles heavy, frequent frost and cold winters without damage, which is why it is widely planted through Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT and the tablelands of New South Wales. It is more troubled by hot, dry inland summers than by cold, so water it through heatwaves.

Is Golden Ash suitable for street planting?

It is used as a street and avenue tree where the reserve is wide and there is nothing overhead. The trunk lifts cleanly, the canopy is high branching once formative pruning is done, and it copes with compacted soil and urban conditions. Narrow verges, powerlines and close building setbacks rule it out, since the crown reaches 8 to 10 metres across.

How do I prune Golden Ash?

Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant and the branch structure is visible. In the first few years select one strong leader and remove competing stems, then progressively lift the lower branches to the clearance you need. Mature trees only need deadwood and crossing limbs taken out. Water deeply through summer and mulch, keeping the mulch off the trunk.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

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Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Street Tree
Shade Tree
Feature Tree
Avenue Planting

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' works in an:

Formal Garden – structured, symmetrical design with clipped shapes.
Heritage / Traditional Garden – timeless, classic plantings for period homes.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Low-maintenance Garden – resilient choices for easy care and year-round appeal.

Is Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' Evergreen or Deciduous?

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is an Deciduous (Defoliates throughout colder months) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 8m to 15m (approx.)

Mature Width: 8m to 10m

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (moderate-fast).

Growth Rate of Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (moderate-fast).

They are considered to have a:

Medium Growth Rate
Fast Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

Is Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' frost tolerant?

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is Frost Hardy – Survives heavy and frequent frost without damage.

Does Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' Flower?

Fraxinus excelsior ‘Aurea’ produces small, inconspicuous greenish-purple flowers in early spring. These modest blooms appear on bare branches and play a quiet role in the tree’s seasonal cycle, contributing little to its ornamental appeal compared with its striking golden stems and autumn foliage.

Does Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' flower?

Yes - Flowers

Flowering Period:

Spring

Flower Type:

Clustered

Flower Colour:

Purple

Is Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' an Australian Native Tree?

No

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is Native to Derived from Fraxinus excelsior, native to Europe and western Asia. ‘Aurea’ is a selected cultivar valued for its distinctive golden foliage and ornamental character.

What is the Wildlife Value of Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' ?

Its winged seeds (samaras) provide food for seed-eating birds, while the broad deciduous canopy offers nesting, shade and shelter for small birds. The textured bark and leaf litter also support insects and microfauna, enriching biodiversity in woodland and deciduous garden settings.

How much Sunlight does Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' need?

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' will thrive best in:

Full Sun
Part Shade

Preferred Soil?

Fraxinus excelsior ‘Aurea’ performs best in deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam soils and prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions. It may struggle in compacted clay or very dry soils unless improved with organic matter to increase aeration and moisture retention. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then provide deep, occasional watering as it matures to support strong growth, healthy branching and reliable seasonal colour.

Is Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' Drought Tolerant?

Is Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' Drought tolerant?

As a young tree it requires regular watering, and once established ‘Aurea’ develops moderate drought tolerance. It performs best in temperate climates with deep, occasional watering during extended dry periods to maintain canopy health and support its vivid yellow autumn colour.

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How To Plant Your Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun to part shade with room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

Feature tree: 3 to 4 metres apart to allow the full canopy and form to develop.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (moderate-fast).

Medium Growth Rate
Fast Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea'

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, reduce to once weekly in dry periods. Mulch helps maintain consistent moisture.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk.

Pruning: Minimal pruning required. Light tip prune in late winter to maintain shape, and remove lower branches as the tree grows to develop a clean feature trunk.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release general-purpose fertiliser in early spring and again in autumn for steady growth and consistent foliage colour.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional inspection in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Fraxinus excelsior 'Aurea' in Different Soil

Fraxinus excelsior performs best in well-drained loam or sandy loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is improved with organic matter.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch well to maintain consistent moisture.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred. Mulch with composted leaf litter to maintain levels naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions:

What sets the Golden Ash apart? Its striking golden-yellow leaves, particularly prominent in spring and autumn, distinguish the 'Aurea'.
How quickly does the 'Aurea' grow in the 45L Bag size? Under optimal conditions, this tree exhibits a moderate growth pace.