Hoptree, Common, or Western Wafer-ash
Ptelea angustifolia
Rutaceae - Rue
Description
Leaves: Alternate; once pinnately compound; deciduous; 3 leaflets; dark green; strong odor when crushed; shiny.
Twigs/buds: Twigs slender; round; dark brown; shiny. No terminal bud; lateral buds small, hairy.
Flowers/fruit: Flowers polygamo-monoecious, greenish-white, small, fragrant; held in dense clusters; appear in mid-May to early June. Fruit a two-seeded samara that resembles hops or an elm samara; round; 1/2" to 1" diameter; held in drooping clusters that persist after leaves fall; bitter tasting.
Bark: Dark gray to gray-brown; fairly smooth to warty.
Wood: Heavy; hard; ring-porous; not important.
General: Native from western Texas, west to California, and northern Mexico, including southern Utah. Thought by some to be a variant of an eastern U.S. species, Ptelea trifoliata var. angustifolia. Typically found on rocky slopes at the edge of wooded areas. Intermediate shade tolerance.
Landscape Use: Seldom if ever planted in cultivated landscapes. Small and generally shrubby. Likely fairly drought tolerant and able to withstand harsh soils conditions. Zones 3-9.
Characteristics
General
Family | Rutaceae - Rue |
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Cultivar Availability | No |
Hardiness Zone | 3-9 |
Type | Broadleaf |
Utah Native | Yes |
Growth
Growth Rate | Low |
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Mature Height | Low |
Longevity | Medium |
Is Good Under Power Lines | Yes |
Crown Shapes | Shrubby |
Ornamental
Bark | Yes |
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Fall Color | Yes |
Flowers | No |
Foliage | No |
Fruit | Yes |
Tolerance
Shade | High |
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Salt | Medium |
Drought | Medium |
Poor Drainage | Low |
Alkalinity | Medium |
Transplanting | High |