American Mountain Ash Sorbus americana
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SOR-bus ah-mer-ih-KAY-nah
- Description
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American Mountain Ash is a relatively small, deciduous, understory tree or shrub in the rose family that is native to northeastern North America from Newfoundland to Georgia. In North Carolina, it is typically found in the mountains around forests and rock outcrops (often with Picea, Abies, and Betula alleghaniensis) and less often in the Piedmont. It typically grows to 15 to 30 feet tall and wide with an open rounded attractive crown. The white spring flowers and bright orange-red fall fruit and foliage add additional interest to this tree. It is relatively short-lived due to fireblight and other diseases and pests.
American Mountain Ash requires moist, rich, acidic, well-drained soils in full sun but tolerates partial shade. It is intolerant of hot humid summers and will do best in the mountain areas of NC. It can be used as a shade tree, in naturalized areas or on slopes.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems:
Bacterial fireblight can be a severe problem. Scab can cause significant defoliation. Cankers, crown gall, powdery mildew, and rust may also occur. Insects include borers, aphids, sawfly, and scale. Browsed by deer.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sorbus
- Species:
- americana
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Northeastern North America
- Distribution:
- USA: CT , GA , IL , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , NC , NH , NJ , NY , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruits are eaten by many birds and mammals. Preferred plant for browsing by moose and white tailed deer.
- Edibility:
- Berries may be made into jellies.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Open
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Long-lasting
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Bright red-orange 1/4 inch berry-like pomes ripen in late summer and fall (September-October) and remain on the tree into winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Urn
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- 3-6 inch across dense flattened corymbs of 1/8-1/4 inch urn-shaped creamy white flowers with 4 petals appear in June-July.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 6-10 inch compound leaves have 9-17 dark yellow-green, 2-4 inch leaflets with unequal wedge-shaped or rounded bases and serrated margins. Undersides are paler. New leaves are downy but become smooth with age. The foliage turns yellow in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Scaly
- Bark Description:
- Smooth gray with numerous lenticels when young. As the tree ages, cracks, splits, and scaly patches develop.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems downy at first, later become smooth, brown tinged with red. Stem buds are dark red with hairs.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
