European ash vs Manna ash

European ash and Manna ash are often considered for the same spot in the garden (shade, specimen). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

European ash

Fraxinus excelsior 7 m × 4 m after 10 years

A native forest tree of huge size: its loose, domed crown of pinnate leaves reaches 20 to 40 metres in time, and the black winter buds make it easy to…

Large tree

Full sun

Manna ash

Fraxinus ornus 5 m × 3.5 m after 10 years

Manna ash is a medium-sized tree with a rounded crown that covers itself in creamy white, scented flower plumes around May and turns yellow to…

Large tree

Full sun

Key differences

European ash: We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. Ash dieback (the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is killing European ash on a massive scale in Central Europe: shoots wilt, branches die back, the bark discolours, later the root collar rots and the weakened tree can fall.
European ash grows larger: 7 m × 4 m after ten years, against 5 m × 3.5 m for Manna ash (an estimate: sources differ).
European ash is hardier: down to -29 °C, against -23 °C for Manna ash.
Manna ash tolerates drought better than European ash.
Manna ash needs less water than European ash.
Manna ash needs less care than European ash.

Which one to choose?

Manna ash is the safer choice: we do not recommend planting European ash in most gardens.

Watch out for

European ash

Ash dieback (the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is killing European ash on a massive scale in Central Europe: shoots wilt, branches die back, the bark discolours, later the root collar rots and the weakened tree can fall. Young trees die quickly, old ones decline for years; there is no effective treatment and researchers are still only searching for resistant trees. The Asian emerald ash borer is also approaching from the east and kills an infested ash within a few years. Branches can break in storms and under snow, and female trees shed masses of seed, so seedlings need regular weeding.

Manna ash

Ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), which is killing common ash across Central Europe, hardly affects manna ash: at most it infects the leaves and does not normally cause shoot dieback. The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), introduced from Asia, is spreading west from Eastern Europe and is a threat to ashes in general; how badly it attacks manna ash is still uncertain, although some observations suggest it is attacked less. Young shoots can be scorched by late spring frost, and the branches are brittle in storms and under snow.

The data side by side

Feature	European ash	Manna ash
Group	Large tree	Large tree
Size after 10 years	7 m × 4 m (uncertain)	5 m × 3.5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	20–40 m × 15–25 m	8–15 m × 6–12 m
Growth rate	Fast	Medium (uncertain)
Light	Full sun	Full sun
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	High (uncertain)
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	April–May, green, purple (uncertain)	April–June, white
Water need	Medium	Low
Drought tolerance	Low	High
Maintenance	High	Low
Planting distance	1200 cm	600 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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