Not native to the U.S. (I'm not saying that would stop you :) ).
Some literature says to be sure and get a male tree (perhaps nurseries only sell male trees?) because of the excessive offspring.

Those are the only two downsides that a casual search turns up (I was interested to see what the tree was like).

Nice tree, but . . .

Unlikely to survive Emerald Ash Borer, when it reaches you.

"Some literature says to be sure and get a male tree (perhaps nurseries only sell male trees?)"
They're wrong ;-) Manna Ash is monoecious with bisexual flowers, so the trees are not single sex like many other ashes.

Resin

Is EAB really inevitable here in Georgia?

Yes. It might not reach you for 1 year, or for 20 years, but it will eventually. All it needs is a redneck jerk with a load of firewood on the back of a pickup.

Resin

Shoulfd I not be planting ashes then?
I'm preparing to plant a few.

I planted a some White Ash trees a few years ago because it's another tree that is just not that common where I live. I planted mine in the woods though, so it won't be a big deal if they die.

Far enough away from other ash, it might be okay.

I thought I had a good ten years before EAB would get to me. Now we find out it's been here maybe three years and trees are starting to die in droves.

Scott

Ashes are extremely overplanted in Ohio. That could be a very devastating loss.

Like Bama treehugger said, in the south, they are a rarity. Instead we overplant oaks here.

I guess people will have to resort to invasives in the future like the incredible hulk 'ailanthus'

When I think of ash trees, the first phrase that comes to mind is familiarity breeds contempt. Like every other plant, they have a specific set of advantages and a specific set of disadvantages.

In the case of ash, until the arrival of EAB in the US, the advantages more than made up for a lot of bad. The grow practically anywhere, not only with a minimum of care, but a maximum of abuse. They grow quickly under the worst of conditions, have a variety of fall color, depending on species, and if you need a tree that just won't die, this genus is the top of a very short list.

The disadvantages: It's an ash tree. Female trees produce a lot of seed. Long term, the canopy just doesn't hold together. You'll get a certain number of years out of it, probably in the 20 to 30 range, although it could perhaps be much greater before it starts to fall apart and lose branches. When it does start to fall apart, there are few trees that can still cling to life the way an ash tree...resulting in some pretty ugly trees, much as it pains me to make such a statement.

Now, as far as EAB: The bad news is, there is much we just don't know, mostly due the highly volatile and political nature of being a researcher in China. Make one disparaging remark in your sleep about the gov't, and you and all your research no longer exists. So, we have to do most of our research from scratch.

What We Know: Almost exclusively, the EAB devastates green ash. To the point that larval galleries are at best underformed on any other species of ash, if not absent, at least in what studies have been performed in the pitifully few years we have been tremendously interested in the beetle.

However, the last species that will be studies will be species like F. ornus. There just aren't enough of them to generate much interest until grad students start to et desperate for research topics, and that's gonna be a few years.

My most optimistic assessment: If you want a tree for a novelty, this one is a good one. It's gonna be a few years (several) before the beetle gets to where you are, although that could swing a couple of decades in either direction without a moment's notice. You'll most likely get a couple of decades of a decent looking tree, with flowers and fall color. The flowers are most likely overrated, although I'm really just guessing on that one. Descriptions can be wonderful things...although they can also lead to a lot of false hopes. In the end, there s only person who has to make the determination if the plant is a worthwhile one: you.

My .02: Don;t let the bug scare you, although if it were me, I'd not plant is just because it's a Fraxinus. Of course, it's not like plant people are opinionated, are they?

In Michigan and Ohio, where EAB is most abundant and rampant right now, all ash are dying to this insect. It does not differentiate between any North American native ash species. No native ash trees of any species thus far have shown any resistance to EAB.

While the very common and weedy green ash is often derided, the also very common white ash is a magnificent tree, as is the less common blue ash. There are several other native ash species that I am not personally familiar with, such as black, red, and pumpkin ash.

In Ohio, I don't think ash is necessarily over-planted. In fact, I don't think on the whole it is, or ever has been, a tremendously over-used landscaping tree. However, ash species constitute up to 25% of our forest and almost any available greenspace, so EAB is very rapidly progressing across the state, with virtually no barriers of ash-less areas to stop it. In the South, if there are great expanses void of ash, then progress of the insect will likely be much slower and sporadic. Hopefully, populations will be protected by distance.

Fraxinus ornus is supposed to be similar to the somewhat related Chionanthus virginicus in flower. The few times I have seen the tree in the Midwest, the trees were in no condition to flower as they were barely alive. I don't know if the issue here is heat, humidity, cold, insects or disease, but something was sure making them unhappy.

Scott

By all means plant the F. ornus. I have the solution which bypasses the whole EAB issue. Next March graft American Fringetree onto the ash. This is an easy graft to make. There are some non-fruiting fringetrees which are a solid mass of fragrant, white flowers when blooming and are worthy of grafting. Problem solved.
Sam

"In fact, I don't think on the whole it is, or ever has been, a tremendously over-used landscaping tree. "

I wouldn't say it is an over-used landscaping tree there but instead an over-used street tree. I think the over-used landscaping tree award has to go to the blue, norway and serbian spruces. :-)
Variety, people. Mix it up. sheesh.

Why there isn't more variety mixed in with regards to the ashes nowadays I cannot understand.

Is Chionanthus virginicus definitely resistant to EAB?

Resin,

That is a darn good question. I've asked a few times on different forums for reports from those in heavy EAB country, but I haven't gotten any definitive answers, something like: "All my ash trees are gone but my fringetree remains."

Unfortunately, in three years I'll be able to give a pretty good answer, since EAB has started claiming ash in my very ashy neighborhood. If all the ash go (and they will), and my Chionanthus retusus, virginicus, and pygmea all remain, then we'll have at least some idea.

Scott

EAB scares the living daylights out of me. Ash is a very important component to our forests here in northern Minnesota, especially in bottom lands.

But.. plant the tree anyway. You will know if EAB is starting to come into your area, and you can treat trees on your property pretty easily to prevent EAB from infecting it, especially if it's an ornamental.

It's getting harder and harder to find trees that aren't subject to major exotic disease problems.

I take it EAB doesn't confine itself just to Manna Ash(F.ornus?) but will infest Chinonanthus too. I have come across Manna Ash in this country,are we likely to find EAB over here,or is the climate wrong for the beetle?

"I wouldn't say it is an over-used landscaping tree there but instead an over-used street tree."

I would definitely agree with that statement. Mpls-St Paul metro area is a prime example. Some of the suburban neighborhood streets look as if they were planted with nothing but the Green Ash cultivars. Wisconsin forest officials have estimated the Fraximun population at 7-8 hundred-million trees. EAB has already been found in the SE part of state and I think there's a feeling of resignation that its going to be devastating.

"I take it EAB doesn't confine itself just to Manna Ash(F.ornus?) but will infest Chinonanthus too. I have come across Manna Ash in this country,are we likely to find EAB over here,or is the climate wrong for the beetle?"

Hi Greenlarry - EAB attacks all ashes; I don't think there's any verified reports of it attacking anything else, but it has only recently been researched at all (since it was introduced accidentally to North America from eastern Asia).

As to whether it could survive the British climate - not known. The species hasn't got here yet, and I'd guess the EU will have introduced very tough quarantine laws to stop it getting here. So I hope we'll never need to find out.

Resin

Well ashes have a lot going for them as a street and shade tree but you know how homeowners are. They want flowers or some pretty-sounding name like red sunset. Or they want something for privacy and wind.... enter spruces.

Hmmm,all the ashes I've come across(F.excelsior) have been quite healthy,the only disease seen was a big black fungus on one. And I searched for Chionanthus on the Wiki and I discovered its in the same family,Oleaceae!

EAB is native to Asia. Reported hosts are: F. chinensis, F. rhynchophylla, F. mandshurica, Ulmus davidiana, Juglans mandshurica and Pterocarya rhoifolia. Chionanthus retusus has never been reported as a host tree.
In the US, Green, White & Black Ash are all host trees.
Why is there an assumption that American Fringetree is vulnerable when this has never been observed?
Sam

Here is a link that might be useful: USDA Fact Sheet

"Why is there an assumption that American Fringetree is vulnerable when this has never been observed?"

Because it is also in the family Oleaceae, and can have stems large enough to support a brood of larvae.

Resin

"Reported hosts are: F. chinensis, F. rhynchophylla, F. mandshurica, Ulmus davidiana, Juglans mandshurica and Pterocarya rhoifolia"

I also remember reading somewhere that the last three of these are not based on verified successful breeding by EAB on these species, just EABs seen resting on their trunks.

Resin

Here's a website with some info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alternate host

Thanks; that pretty much confirms that elm, walnut, etc., are not suitable for them (lifespan the same as those given no food at all), but that privet and other Oleaceae might be.

Unfortunately, it only tested adult feeding, and doesn't address the issue of what is suitable for reproduction, which is what really matters.

Resin

Privet eh,that could be scary if the beetle makes it over here. Altho of course most Privet hedges are trimmed regularly so that would probably put them off. But then again I see a lot of hedges that are left uncut and end up nearly tree size,and of course some farms use Privet as a field boundary over here.