There are about 80 to 100 species of this genus in the Rose or Apple Family (Rosaceae) in the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the largest number of species in east Asia. Most species develop as small trees, but some get to be somewhat large trees and some species are shrubs. Most species have pinnate compound leaves and terminal clusters of small, white, apple-like flowers that bear usually small pomes (berries) that are red to orange to yellow or white to pink or even brown. The Service Tree of southern & eastern Europe bears about 1 inch long fruit looking like small pears and definitely edible. Sorbus has been able to hybridize with Aronia (Chokeberry) and some other rosaceous members. There have been botanists who have classified these species as part of the Pear genus (Pyrus).

Reply to this comment