Name: Mountain-ash - Rowan
Brand: Green Legacy Seeds
SKU: Tre23
Price: 11.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Source Data

Rowan seeds, Mountain ash, Orange berries, Wizard tree (lat. Sorbus aucuparia)

Tree 12 m high (usually 5-10 m). The crown is rounded, openwork (reaches more than 5.5 m in width). The shoots are bare, reddish-brown, covered with a shiny grayish film that is easily erased. Young shoots are grayish-red, pubescent. The bark of mature trees is smooth, light gray-brown or yellow-gray, shiny.

The leaves are up to 20 cm long, consist of 7-15 elongated, pointed, serrated along the edges of the leaflets, entire at the bottom and serrate at the top, green above, usually matte, noticeably paler and pubescent below. In autumn, the leaves turn golden and red.

The flowers are five-membered, numerous, collected in dense corymbose inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter; inflorescences are located at the ends of shortened shoots. The receptacle is a calyx of five broadly triangular ciliated sepals. The corolla is white (0.8-1.5 cm in diameter), there are five petals, many stamens, one pistil, three styles, the ovary is inferior. When flowering, an unpleasant odor is emitted (the reason for this is trimethylamine gas). Blooms in May - June.

The fruit is a spherical juicy orange-red apple (about 1 cm in diameter) with small seeds rounded along the edge. The fruits ripen in late August - September and remain ripe until winter. Fruits annually, abundantly - after 1-2 years.

It is undemanding to soils, but prefers medium loamy soils with slightly acidic and neutral reaction conditions.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 (-34°C to -29°C).

Instructions

Growing Mountain-ash - Rowan (Sorbus Aucuparia) from seed is a rewarding process. Follow these guidelines for best results.
Seed Preparation: Cold stratification is required. Place seeds in moist sand or vermiculite in a sealed bag and refrigerate at 1–5°C for 4–8 weeks before sowing. Some species may require 60–90 days of cold stratification for optimal germination.
Sowing: Sow seeds 0.5–1 cm deep in well-draining seed compost. Water gently and keep consistently moist but not waterlogged. Place in a bright location at 18–22°C.
Germination: Seeds typically germinate in 2–12 weeks after stratification. Germination may be sporadic — do not discard pots if no seedlings appear within the expected timeframe.
Transplanting: Transplant seedlings into individual pots once they have 2–3 pairs of true leaves. Harden off gradually over 7–10 days before planting in final position. Space according to the mature size of the species.
Aftercare: Water regularly during the first growing season. Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring. Mulch annually to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Prune as needed to maintain shape.
Hardiness: Hardy in most temperate climates. Suitable for USDA zones 4–8 depending on species. Established plants can tolerate winter temperatures well below freezing.