White ash, Fraxinus americana, is a member of the olive family that grows across eastern North America west into Colorado and is common in every county of West Virginia. It can reach about 130 feet tall and is found in rich woods, where it prefers moist, deep soils and full sun, though it can adapt to a wide range of soil pH. Numerous small green to purplish flowers bloom between April and May, with male and female flowers on the tree and the males appearing first before the leaves; pollen from the male flowers is airborne during the following 7-10 day period when female flowers are receptive. Fruits produced by female flowers appear in August-October, and seeds from the winged fruit are dispersed by wind in September-November. Its seeds are eaten by wood duck, northern bobwhite, finches, grouse, turkey, cardinals, mice, and fox squirrel, and its tendency to develop trunk cavities benefits woodpeckers. The name white ash comes from the white color of its wood. Native Americans used white ash for several medical purposes, including a decoction of the leaves as a laxative and tonic for women after childbirth, the seeds as a cure for fevers, and juice from the leaves to soothe the itching and swelling of mosquito bites. They also valued its hardiness, strength, and shock resistance and used it to make tools. Today it is famous for use in baseball bats and is the most valuable timber tree among the ashes.