Alphitonia excelsa - Red Ash
Family: Rhamnaceae

Fast frowing tree over 10m.
Masses of white flowers.
Black fruits with red seeds.
Cabinet timber.
Bird attracting.
Hardy.

Red Ash is a natural colonizer in a large range of conditions in most types of rainforest and in open dry woodland from the coast to well inland.
The open crown with its silver-backed leaves is usually laced by caterpillars, and sometimes briefly defoliated.
This makes it a desirable tree for insect-eating birds. Its reliably-produced flowers and unappetizing-looking fruits are also sought by many birds.
The fruits are round and black with dry mealy flesh enclosing two hard capsules. These generally fall, leaving small, red-skinned seeds attached to the twigs for some months.
Most individuals are 15-20m in height though some have been recorded at 35m.
Seeds germinate slowly but can be hastened by cutting of the tough seed coat.