Ashes, Privets & Allies
What are they?
The Oleaceae - or Olive Family - is named after the classic Olive Tree (Olea europea) and consists of a rather diverse family of woody trees and shrubs. In the USA, the most familiar members of the family are probably the native ashes and introduced privets, the latter very popular for garden hedging.
Where are they found?
Many members of this family have highly ornamental flowers and are therefore popular as garden plants. Such species may occasionally be found in a more or less wild state on abandoned land where a dwelling once stood, on waste ground where rubbish has been dumped, or on land adjoining a garden where plants have spread unchecked. Ashes are native woodland trees but are not particularly common in Cape May County.
Identification
Like maples, members of this family have buds and leaves arranged on the stem in opposite pairs, which helps to narrow the identification quite significantly, as far more plants have an alternate arrangement of buds and leaves. Identifying many of the garden escapes can be difficult as there are often many cultivated varieties, the majority of which are not covered here. For most groups, concentrate on flowers when available, leaves and the appearance of stems and buds.
Common Lilac Syringa vulgaris
Introduced from Europe and a popular garden ornamental. Probably doesn't come from seed in Cape May, but plants originating from garden waste are sometimes found on abandoned land, hedgerows or field edges. Flowers May. A well-known and easily recognized species; flowers may come in white or various shades of pink, red or purple.
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Green Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica
An uncommon tree in Cape May, but known from at least two swamp forest areas in the middle of the county. Identifying the region's ashes is very problematic, with no two reference sources seeming to fully agree on either English names, scientific names or key identification features for the various forms. With this in mind, the identification of Cape May's ashes is rather tentative. However, the shape, size and structure of the fruiting bodies suggests that Pumpkin Ash occurs in one or two locations where species-rich swamp forest can be found, while Green Ash is present in wet woodland further north in the county, and as a relic of cultivation. Green Ash has dry fruits ('keys' - technically known as a samara) that have wings arising rather abruptly from about half way along the side of the seed.
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Pumpkin Ash Fraxinus profunda
An uncommon tree in Cape May, but known from at least two swamp forest areas in the middle of the county. Identifying the region's ashes is very problematic, with no two reference sources seeming to fully agree on either English names, scientific names or key identification features for the various forms. With this in mind, the identification of Cape May's ashes is rather tentative. However, the shape, size and structure of the fruiting bodies suggests that Pumpkin Ash occurs in one or two locations where species-rich swamp forest can be found, while Green Ash is present in wet woodland further north in the county, and as a relic of cultivation. Pumpkin Ash has dry fruits ('keys' - technically known as a samara) that have wings arising gradually from near the base of the seed.
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Broad-leaved Privet Ligustrum obtusifolium
(Regal Privet) Introduced from eastern Asia. A popular hedging plant and frequently found as an alien invasive in the wider countryside, though not as common as Chinese Privet. Flowers June. Leaf undersides and stems roughly hairy; flowers in small, rounded clusters, the flower tube longer than the petal lobes.
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Oval-leaved Privet Ligustrum ovalifolium
(California Privet) Probably introduced from Europe, though originally from eastern Asia. A popular hedging plant and occasionally found as a garden throw-out or relic of an abandoned garden. Doesn't seem to be an invasive problem. Flowers June. Leaves and stems are hairless.
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Chinese Privet Ligustrum sinense
Introduced from eastern Asia. A common to abundant alien invasive, especially common south of the Cape May canal. Flowers June. Leaf undersides and stems roughly hairy; flowers in large, branched clusters, the flower tube shorter than the petal lobes.
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European Privet Ligustrum vulgare
Introduced from Europe. Occasional on the site of old gardens, waste places and old hedge rows. Flowers June. Leaves distinctly narrower than other species; stems hairless.
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Common Forsythia Forsythia x intermedia
A popular and very common garden shrub which brings much color to Cape May in late March and early April and is occasionally found as a relic of an old garden site, or as a garden throughout on waste ground. Flowers late March to April. Though a number of forsythia species have been brought into cultivation over the years, most notably Forsythia suspensa and F. viridissima, almost all plants to be seen these days are hybrids between these two species, falling under the name of F. x intermedia. Most are named cultivars, varying somewhat in the broadness of the petals and in overall size and color of the flowers. Popular varieties today include 'Karl Sax', 'Lynwood Gold', 'Spectabilis' and 'Spring Glory'.
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and solid at nodes |