Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Little Leaf Ash
Little Leaf Ash is a small native ash that stays green all year, with fine, bright green leaves and smooth gray bark. It grows about 15 to 20 feet tall and can be kept as a large shrub for screening or trained into a small multi-trunk patio tree. It suits entryways, patios and pool areas. It takes full sun or part shade and handles cold to about 10°F.
Best for: a small evergreen patio or entry tree, a screen or background shrub, planting near pools, and native gardens in sun or part shade.
Trained as a small multi-trunk tree about 11 to 15 feet tall, it shows off smooth gray bark. It fits patios, entryways and small yards.
Left as a large, multi-branched shrub it makes an evergreen screen or background planting. As a shrub it needs little to no pruning. Space plants about 12 feet apart for a screen, or up to 20 feet for single trees.
It is considered a good tree for pool areas and is planted near pools and patios for light shade. It takes full sun or part shade.
It grows slowly to moderately, and less water means slower growth. Do not let it go dry in summer. It drops old leaves briefly in spring as new ones come in.
- Screen row12 ft apart
- Single trees20 ft apart
Right after planting, soak it every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in the cooler months. By the second month, aim for about once a week in summer, and keep regular deep soaks going for about 3 years. Established trees want a soak 2 to 3 feet deep at the canopy edge about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer, and about monthly in winter.
The nursery stake comes off at planting, and stakes go in only if the tree cannot hold itself up or wind is a problem. Two stakes outside the root ball, soft ties, and a little sway build a stronger trunk. Remove them in about a year.
Grown as a screen or large shrub, it needs little pruning. To shape it as a small tree, remove lower branches a little at a time. Remove no more than a quarter of the canopy in a year, and never strip the inner branches so leaves are left only at the tips.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Little Leaf Ash get?
It grows about 11 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Keep it as a large shrub for a screen, or train it into a small tree for a patio.
Is Little Leaf Ash evergreen?
Yes, for the most part. It sheds its old leaves briefly in spring as new growth comes in, but it never goes completely bare. That leaf drop is normal and needs no fix.
Is it native to Arizona?
Yes. It grows wild in canyons and along arroyos in Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and northern Mexico. Plant it with other desert natives that share its water needs.
How fast does it grow?
It grows slowly to moderately. Water it more if you want it to fill in faster, since less water slows it down.
How much water does it need?
It needs low to moderate water. Water it regularly but not often, especially in summer, and do not let it go dry in the heat.
Can I plant it by the pool?
Yes. It is considered a good choice near pools and is planted by pools, patios and entryways for light shade.
Can it be a privacy screen?
Yes. Kept as a large, multi-branched shrub it makes an evergreen screen and needs little to no pruning. Plant screen plants about 12 feet apart.
How do I turn it into a small tree?
Remove lower branches a little at a time to show the gray bark and form one or several trunks. Take off no more than a quarter of the canopy in a year so you do not over-prune.
How cold hardy is Little Leaf Ash?
It is hardy to about 10°F, colder than a normal Valley winter, so it needs no frost cover.
Does it take full sun?
Yes. It grows in full sun or part shade, so it can go on any side of the house.
Little Leaf Ash vs Arizona Ash?
Little leaf ash is a small, mostly evergreen tree about 11 to 15 feet tall. Arizona ash is a large shade tree, 30 to 50 feet, that drops its leaves in winter. Pick little leaf ash for patios and small yards.
Can little leaf ash bother allergies?
It can. Its pollen can bother people with allergies.
Little Leaf Ash for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Little Leaf Ash is a small, mostly evergreen ash native to Arizona canyons, grown as a screen shrub or a small patio tree. Below: size, growth, water, leaf drop in spring, pruning, pools and cold.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Little Leaf Ash as a patio tree in Arizona
Trained into a small multi-trunk tree, it stays about 11 to 15 feet tall with smooth gray bark. It fits patios, entryways and small yards.
Is Little Leaf Ash evergreen?
Yes, it keeps most of its leaves all year. It drops old leaves briefly in spring as new ones emerge, but it never goes fully bare.
Little Leaf Ash for screening
Kept as a large, multi-branched shrub, it makes an evergreen screen that needs little pruning. Space plants about 12 feet apart for a screen and up to 20 feet for single trees.
How to water Little Leaf Ash
It uses low to moderate water, so water it regularly but not often, especially in summer, and more water speeds its growth.
Little Leaf Ash near pools
It is considered a good choice for pool areas and is used near pools, patios and entryways.
Little Leaf Ash vs Arizona Ash
Little leaf ash is small and mostly evergreen. Arizona ash is a large shade tree that drops its leaves in winter and needs more water.
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