For the species described by Pursh, see Sorbus decora.
The tree species Sorbus americana is commonly known as the American mountain-ash.[4] It is a deciduous perennial tree, native to eastern North America.[5]
Sorbus americana is a relatively small tree, reaching 12 metres (40 ft) in height.[5] The American mountain-ash attains its largest specimens on the northern shores of Lake Huron and Lake Superior.[6]
Light gray, smooth, surface scaly. Branchlets downy at first, later become smooth, brown tinged with red, lenticular, finally they become darker and the papery outer layer becomes easily separable.
Wood
Pale brown; light, soft, close-grained but weak. Specific gravity, 0.5451; weight of cu. ft., 33.97 lbs.
Dark red, acute, one-fourth to three-quarters of an inch long. Inner scales are very tomentose and enlarge with the growing shoot.
Leaves
Alternate, compound, odd-pinnate, 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) long, with slender, grooved, dark green or red petiole. Leaflets 13 to 17, lanceolate or long oval, two to three inches long, one-half to two-thirds broad, unequally wedge-shaped or rounded at base, serrate, acuminate, sessile, the terminal one sometimes borne on a stalk half an inch long, feather-veined, midrib prominent beneath, grooved above. They come out of the bud downy, conduplicate; when full grown are smooth, dark yellow green above and paler beneath. In autumn they turn a clear yellow. Stipules leaf-like, caducous.
Flowers
May, June, after the leaves are full grown. Perfect, white, one-eighth of an inch across, borne in flat compound cymes three or four inches across. Bracts and bractletsacute, minute, caducous.
Two to three carpels inserted in the bottom of the calyx tube and united into an inferior ovary. Styles two to three; stigmascapitate; ovules two in each cell.
Fruit
Berry-like pome, globular, one-quarter of an inch across, bright red, borne in cymous clusters. Ripens in October and remains on the tree all winter. Flesh thin and sour, charged with malic acid; seeds light brown, oblong, compressed; cotyledons fleshy.[6]
Distributionedit
Native to eastern North America;
Eastern Canada – New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec[7]
Northeastern United States – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont
North-Central United States – Illinois [n. (Ogle Co.)], Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Listed as endangered by the State of Illinois[8]
The berries of American mountain-ash are eaten by numerous species of birds, including ruffed grouse, ptarmigans, sharp-tailed grouse, blue grouse, American robins, other thrushes, waxwings, jays, and small mammals, such as squirrels and rodents.[9]
American mountain-ash is a preferred browse for moose and white-tailed deer. Moose will eat foliage, twigs, and bark. Up to 80 percent of American mountain-ash stems were browsed by moose in control plots adjacent to exclosures on Isle Royale. Fishers, martens, snowshoe hares, and ruffed grouse also browse American mountain-ash.[9]
Cultivationedit
Sorbus americana is cultivated as an ornamental tree, for use in gardens and parks. It prefers a rich moist soil and the borders of swamps, but will flourish on rocky hillsides.
A cultivar is the red cascade mountain-ash, or Sorbus americana 'Dwarfcrown'. It is planted in gardens, and as a street tree.[10]
Usesedit
After their first winter freeze, the fruits are edible raw or cooked. They can be used to make pie and jelly.[11]
Referencesedit
^Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2018). "Sorbus americana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T135956666A135956668. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T135956666A135956668.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^"ITIS Standard Report Page: Sorbus americana". www.itis.gov.
^"Urban Forest Nursery: Tree Profile for the Red Cascade Mountain Ash". www.urbanforestnursery.com. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
^Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 240. ISBN978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC 244766414.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sorbus americana.
USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Sorbus americana". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team.
Sorbus americana – picture of young tree, and complete summary data
Interactive Distribution Map for Sorbus americana
April 13, 2024
sorbus, americana, species, described, pursh, sorbus, decora, tree, species, commonly, known, american, mountain, deciduous, perennial, tree, native, eastern, north, america, american, mountain, ashconservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classifi. For the species described by Pursh see Sorbus decora The tree species Sorbus americana is commonly known as the American mountain ash 4 It is a deciduous perennial tree native to eastern North America 5 American mountain ashConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder RosalesFamily RosaceaeGenus SorbusSection Sorbus sect CommixtaeSpecies S americanaBinomial nameSorbus americanaMarshall 2 Distribution map of native Sorbus americana range Synonyms 3 Aucuparia americana Marshall Nieuwl Pyrus americana Marshall DC Pyrus americana Marshall Spreng The American mountain ash and related species most often the European mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia are also referred to as rowan trees Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution 3 Biota 4 Cultivation 5 Uses 6 References 7 External linksDescription editSorbus americana is a relatively small tree reaching 12 metres 40 ft in height 5 The American mountain ash attains its largest specimens on the northern shores of Lake Huron and Lake Superior 6 It resembles the European mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia Bark Light gray smooth surface scaly Branchlets downy at first later become smooth brown tinged with red lenticular finally they become darker and the papery outer layer becomes easily separable Wood Pale brown light soft close grained but weak Specific gravity 0 5451 weight of cu ft 33 97 lbs Winter buds Dark red acute one fourth to three quarters of an inch long Inner scales are very tomentose and enlarge with the growing shoot Leaves Alternate compound odd pinnate 6 to 10 inches 15 to 25 cm long with slender grooved dark green or red petiole Leaflets 13 to 17 lanceolate or long oval two to three inches long one half to two thirds broad unequally wedge shaped or rounded at base serrate acuminate sessile the terminal one sometimes borne on a stalk half an inch long feather veined midrib prominent beneath grooved above They come out of the bud downy conduplicate when full grown are smooth dark yellow green above and paler beneath In autumn they turn a clear yellow Stipules leaf like caducous Flowers May June after the leaves are full grown Perfect white one eighth of an inch across borne in flat compound cymes three or four inches across Bracts and bractlets acute minute caducous Calyx Urn shaped hairy five lobed lobes short acute imbricate in bud Corolla Petals five creamy white orbicular contracted into short claws inserted on calyx imbricate in bud Stamens Twenty to thirty inserted on calyx tube filaments thread like anthers introrse two celled cells opening longitudinally Pistil Two to three carpels inserted in the bottom of the calyx tube and united into an inferior ovary Styles two to three stigmas capitate ovules two in each cell Fruit Berry like pome globular one quarter of an inch across bright red borne in cymous clusters Ripens in October and remains on the tree all winter Flesh thin and sour charged with malic acid seeds light brown oblong compressed cotyledons fleshy 6 Distribution editNative to eastern North America Eastern Canada New Brunswick Newfoundland Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec 7 Northeastern United States Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Vermont North Central United States Illinois n Ogle Co Michigan Minnesota Wisconsin Listed as endangered by the State of Illinois 8 Southeastern United States Appalachian Mountains Georgia Maryland North Carolina Tennessee Virginia West VirginiaBiota editThe berries of American mountain ash are eaten by numerous species of birds including ruffed grouse ptarmigans sharp tailed grouse blue grouse American robins other thrushes waxwings jays and small mammals such as squirrels and rodents 9 American mountain ash is a preferred browse for moose and white tailed deer Moose will eat foliage twigs and bark Up to 80 percent of American mountain ash stems were browsed by moose in control plots adjacent to exclosures on Isle Royale Fishers martens snowshoe hares and ruffed grouse also browse American mountain ash 9 Cultivation editSorbus americana is cultivated as an ornamental tree for use in gardens and parks It prefers a rich moist soil and the borders of swamps but will flourish on rocky hillsides A cultivar is the red cascade mountain ash or Sorbus americana Dwarfcrown It is planted in gardens and as a street tree 10 Uses editAfter their first winter freeze the fruits are edible raw or cooked They can be used to make pie and jelly 11 References edit Botanic Gardens Conservation International BGCI IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group 2018 Sorbus americana IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T135956666A135956668 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T135956666A135956668 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 ITIS Standard Report Page Sorbus americana www itis gov Sorbus americana Tropicos Missouri Botanical Garden Conservation Plant Characteristics for ScientificName CommonName USDA PLANTS plants usda gov a b McAllister H A 2005 The genusSorbus Mountain Ash and other Rowans Kew Publishing a b Keeler Harriet L 1900 Our Native Trees and How to Identify Them New York Charles Scribner s Sons pp 136 140 Sorbus americana Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Threatened Search Results USDA PLANTS plants usda gov a b Sorbus americana www fs fed us Urban Forest Nursery Tree Profile for the Red Cascade Mountain Ash www urbanforestnursery com Retrieved January 31 2013 Elias Thomas S Dykeman Peter A 2009 1982 Edible Wild Plants A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods New York Sterling p 240 ISBN 978 1 4027 6715 9 OCLC 244766414 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sorbus americana USDA NRCS n d Sorbus americana The PLANTS Database plants usda gov Greensboro North Carolina National Plant Data Team Sorbus americana picture of young tree and complete summary data Interactive Distribution Map for Sorbus americana Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sorbus americana amp oldid 1191422163, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
