Ash tree , seed pods aplenty but few leaves

[miker]

My freinds mature ash tree is looking very odd this year, smothered in seed pods but very few leaves, i would say 80% pods to 20% leaves, any ideas lads and lasses

Mike

[Gary Prentice]

It seems to be a bumper crop year for ash, I can’t remember observing as much seed before.

 

Tree vitality seems to have little impact, those with sparse crowns and a bit of dieback are still seeding profusely.

[difflock]

Survival mechanism at work, if I am dying, I will at any cost, set seed?

[Gary Prentice]

I wondered that, but healthy trees are the same. I'm not sure if ash have mast years or whether it's just that environmental conditions have been ideal this year?

 

Or maybe we're paying a bit more attention to them, than previously.