Overview

Sorbus aucuparia is a columnar upright, bushy deciduous tree in the genus Sorbus, part of the Rosaceae family, with deciduous foliage. It typically grows around 15.0 m tall. Sorbus aucuparia grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates loam and sand soils and acid and alkaline pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H6. Suggested uses include cottage and informal garden and wildlife gardens. It is native to Albania, Altay, Amur, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, China North-Central and Corse.

About

Sorbus aucuparia, commonly called rowan (, also UK: ) and mountain-ash, is a species of deciduous tree or shrub in the rose family. The tree has a slender trunk with smooth bark, a loose and roundish crown, and its leaves are pinnate in pairs of leaflets on a central vein with a terminal leaflet. It flowers from May to June in dense corymbs of small creamy-white flowers and develops small red pomes as fruit that ripen from August to October and are eaten by many bird species. It is a highly variable species, and botanists have used different definitions of the species to include or exclude trees native to certain areas. Grow it in full sun and partial shade and loam and sand soil. In UK gardens it is very hardy across most of the UK (RHS H6). It works well for cottage and informal garden and wildlife gardens. It tolerates acid and alkaline soils, moist but well-drained conditions and south-facing, east-facing and west-facing aspects.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Sorbus aucuparia

About the genus

Sorbus is a genus of over 100 species of trees and shrubs in the rose family, Rosaceae. Species of Sorbus (s.str.) are commonly known as rowan or mountain-ash. The genus used to include species commonly known as whitebeam, chequer tree and service tree that are now classified in other genera.

Wikipedia contributors, "Sorbus", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Sorbus

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Sorbus

Sunlight

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil type

Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

Aspect

South-facing, East-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H6

Plant details

Sorbus aucuparia size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Deciduous tree, Shrub

Habit

Columnar upright, Bushy

Foliage

Deciduous

Height

15.0 m

Suggested uses

Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens

Native to

Albania, Altay, Amur, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, China North-Central, Corse

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Sorbus aucuparia

Cultivation

Grow in full sun or partial shade; tolerates acid and alkaline soils; prefers moist but well-drained soil; hardy in most of the UK (RHS H6)

Pruning

Prune in late winter or early spring to maintain shape and remove dead or damaged wood

Propagation

Seed, Softwood cuttings

Pest resistance

Aphids, Sawfly larvae, Pear blister mite, Red spider mite

Disease resistance

Fireblight, Apple canker, Silver leaf, Honey fungus

Frequently asked questions