General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 6b
Plant Height: 20 to 30 feet, to 60 feet
Plant Spread: 15 to 20 feet, to 40 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Deciduous
Broadleaf
Fruit: Showy
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Fall
Flowers: Showy
Blooms on old wood
Flower Color: White
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Suitable Locations: Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Uses: Flowering Tree
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Cooked
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Propagation: Seeds: Stratify seeds: 60 to 120 days of 38 degrees F in cold, moist
Pollinators: Various insects
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • European Mountain Ash
  • European Rowan
  • Common Mountain Ash
  • Rowan
  • Mountain Ash

Photo Gallery
Photo by JHeirloomSeeds
Location: Morpeth, Northumberland UK
Date: 2023-08-30
Location: Morpeth, Northumberland UK
Date: 2023-07-25
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Date: 2018-10-10
Location: Morpeth, Northumberland UK
Date: 2023-08-22

Date: 2016-06-14
Location: Chester County, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-05-08
flower clusters and spring foliage
Location: Chicago, Illinois suburbs
Date: late summer in the 1980's
fruit clusters
Location: My Garden, UK
Date: 2022-05-02
Location: Garfield, WA
Date: 2007-01-11
Location: Garfield, WA
Date: 2007-01-11
Location: Chester County, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-05-08
yard specimen
Location: Chicago, Illinois suburbs
Date: October in the 1980's
young tree in fall color
Location: Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-08-08
mature tree in summer
Photo by magga
Location: Akureyri Botanical Gardens
credit: Hedwig Storch
Location: Garden
Date: 2016-10
These berries are on the variety Sorbus aucuparia 'Fructo'
Location: Kirkenes, Norway
Date: 2018-08-30
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Date: 2017-10-09
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Date: 2017-10-09
Location: Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-08-08
summer foliage
Location: Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-08-08
the trunk
Location: Eagle Bay, New York
Date: 2021-05-21
European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) buds in early seasonb
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2011-08-24
Location: Nature Reserve Gent, Belgium
Date: 2009-08-04
Location: Nature Reserve Gent, Belgium
Date: 2009-08-04
Photo by Anderwood

Date: 2015-02-27
Credit NPS

Date: between 1917 and 1926
Carl Axel Magnus Lindman (1856–1928)

By Xemenendura (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.

I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-

By Jürgen Howaldt (Own work (selbst erstelltes Foto)) [CC-BY-SA-

Author: (c) Krzysztof P. Jasiutowicz

Own work - photo taken by Georges Jansoone on 27 June 2005

Picture taken by myself: Sorbus aucuparia flowers with caterpilla
This plant is tagged in:
Image

Comments:
  • Posted by skopjecollection (SE europe(balkans) - Zone 6b) on Jan 1, 2020 2:27 PM concerning plant:
    Fruit has a interesting taste. A bit astringent, sour and its flavor is something of a mix of citrus and service apple/medlar. A bit refreshing, but inadvisable to consume in large quantities.
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Feb 12, 2019 1:04 PM concerning plant:
    This Common or European Mountain-Ash or Rowan Tree is native to Europe, western Asia, and Siberia. It used to be occasionally planted in the Chicago region of northeast Illinois in Zone 5a as a handsome ornamental small tree that got to about 20 feet high. It would live about 20 years after planting and then be killed off by borers because the summers would get too hot for this northern species that thrives in cool or just warm summer regions. This is what would also happen to the European White Birch that likes the same more northern climates. Both species were discontinued in the region by local nurseries, but they can be found with mail order nurseries. I've only seen two of this European Rowan in southeast Pennsylvania in Zone 6b that gets longer, hotter summers than northeast Illinois. Farther north In zones 3 & 4 in the US or Canada, where this mountain-ash lives more to about 50 years, I would rather grow the native Showy or American Mountain-Ashes because the latter are native, though there is little difference in appearance. The European species has smaller compound leaves 5 to 9 inches long with 9 to 15(19) leaflets. All Mountain-Ashes, like Birch, appreciate being irrigated in the summer during drought.
  • Posted by Yorkshirelass on May 9, 2017 7:28 AM concerning plant:
    Variety 'Sorbus aucuparia Fructo Lutea' bears yellow fruit in Autumn

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