Deciduous tree, 30 ft (9 m) tall and somewhat less of a spread, compact, rounded head. Leaves opposite, pinnately compound, 25-30 cm long, 7-11 leaflets, foliage is reportedly yellowish in spring, green-yellow in summer and yellow-gold in fall.
Sun or part shade.
Hardy to USDA Zone 5.
There is much confusion as to its botanical name. Jacobson (1969) lists the correct cultivar name as Fraxinus excelsior ‘Jaspida’ and synonyms as Fraxinus oxycarpa ‘Aurea’ or ‘Aureafolia’, F. o. aurea ‘Golden Desert’, and F. o. Golden Desert^TM. Sometime offered as Fraxinus angustifolia ‘Golden Desert’. It would not be surprising if more than one clone was offered under the Golden Desert name. The Pacific Northwest Plant Locator, Black-Eyed Susans Press, has more information on the name problem in a recent update (http://www.blackeyedsusanspress.com/updates.html). It is argued that nurseries selling Fraxinus excelsior 'Golden Desert', actually are offering Fraxinus angustifolia ssp. oxycarpa 'Golden Desert', since they state, there is "no known cultivar 'Golden Desert' of F. excelsior".
Excelsior: taller.

Information obtained from: OSU http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/