Shrubs🌿 Native to the NetherlandsVery hardy — tolerates frost down to -30°C

Rowan / Mountain Ash

Sorbus aucuparia

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Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) is a native tree or large shrub of forests, forest edges, hedgerows, hedges, heaths, dunes, water sides and peat-like habitats. The species has odd-pinnate leaves with serrated leaflets and a smooth grayish bark. In May and June, Rowan blooms with large white flower corymbs. In late summer and autumn, striking orange to fiery red fruits appear. The species grows well on acidic to weakly acidic, nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich sand, loam and peat soil. Rowan fits well in native hedges, bird thickets, forest edges, food forests, natural gardens and landscape planting.

Year calendar

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
🌸Blooms
🐝Provides nectar
🍓Bears fruit
🍂Has autumn colour

Pruning period

✂️Best pruning period: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
✂️ Pruning period

Best pruning period

Rowan needs little pruning. Only prune away dead, crossing or unwanted branches during winter dormancy. For a natural shape, light pruning is better than heavy pruning.

Botanical profile

Site & soil

Sun, Half shade

Soil type: Sand, Loam, Humus-rich, Peat

Moisture need: Dry, Moderately moist, Moist, Wet / marshy

pH: Acidic (<5.5), Neutral (6.5–7.5), Slightly acidic (5.5–6.5)

Nutrient richness: Nutrient-poor, Moderately nutrient-rich

Humus content: Moderately humus-rich, Humus-rich, Peaty, Humus-poor

Water drainage: Well draining, Moisture-retentive, Poorly draining

Appearance & season

Mature height: 300-900cm

Bloom: May

Autumn colour: Yellow, orange to reddish. The ornamental value lies mainly in the white flower corymbs, pinnate leaves and orange-red fruits in late summer and autumn.

Properties

Salt sensitive: No

Edible: The ripe fruits are edible after proper processing, but are not attractive raw and are slightly toxic in larger quantities. They taste sour, bitter and acrid and are mainly processed into jelly, jam, syrup, chutney or liqueur.

Scent: The flowers have a distinct, somewhat sickly-sweet scent. This scent mainly attracts flies, beetles and other small flower visitors.

Ecological value

Rowan is very valuable for birds, insects and natural shrubberies. The white flowers are visited by flies, bees, beetles and other flower visitors. The orange to red fruits are important food for birds, especially thrushes, blackbirds, starlings and other berry-eating species. The tree or shrub provides cover and nesting in hedges, forest edges and bird thickets. Due to the combination of flowering, berries, leaf structure and broad habitat suitability, Rowan is a strong species for biodiversity in native planting.

Food web & Biodiversity

🐛 Caterpillars & mothsUseful

🐝 Bees & bumblebeesVery useful

🪰 HoverfliesVery useful

🦋 ButterfliesUseful

🪲 Beetles & insectsVery useful

🐦 BirdsExtremely useful

🐿️ MammalsVery useful

🐞 Other animalsUseful

Rowan is particularly strong as a bird tree. The flowers attract insects and the red fruits are important food for thrushes, blackbirds and starlings. The species can also be used in small gardens as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree.

Distribution in the Netherlands