European ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Its Latin name reflects its soaring shape. Some call it an aristocrat among trees, since in Poland it grows to record heights. Its sizeable leaves are made up of a dozen or more small ones; in the winter, it can be told from other trees by its jet-black shoots. Its pliant wood was used to make bows, lances, and skis.
It is a frequent species in parks and alleys. The one in Lusławice, growing next to the Italian garden, was once one of many of ancient trees in this place. When it was attacked by fungi several years ago, Penderecki told the gardeners to wait, and indeed, the huge tree survived. It has a companion at the other end of the Italian garden in the form of the park’s oldest common oak.