It is estimated that Scotland is home to 11 million European Ash trees, which support nearly 1,000 species, and hundreds of mosses and lichens that depend entirely on Ash trees for their survival. Many of Scotland’s Ash trees are under threat, however, from ash dieback, an invasive fungal disease that causes leaf loss and crown dieback. Unfortunately, most mature trees succumb to the disease within a few decades, but Ash trees can live up to 300 years otherwise. There are several notable specimens, such as the Glen Lyon Ash in Perthshire and the Tinnis Ash in the Scottish Borders, which are thought to have surpassed this.
Ash branches were historically used as a type of magic wand in Scotland to drive cattle, as they were considered protective of livestock.
