Sorbus Torminalis - Wild Service Tree

General Information Common Name  Wild Service Tree Scientific Name  Sorbus Torminalis Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  10 - 15 m (33-50 ft) Spread  6 -8 m (20 - 30 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  White Type  Tree Native  Europe, USA

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class  Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass  Rosidae Order  Rosales Family  Rosaceae – Rose family Genus  Sorbus L. – Mountain Ash Species  S. Torminalis

Sorbus Torminalis - Wild Service Tree

Sorbus Torminalis common name is Wild Service Tree. It is native to Europe. It is usually attaining between 10-15 m (33-50 feet) in height. It is very local and one seldom finds more than a few trees growing in the same locality. It is curious because of its unusually shaped leaves, its flowers and fruits which resemble those of Rowan, and its bark which has the appearance of that of Hawthorn.

The winter buds are large, oval (not pointed) and greenish with brown edges to the scales. The young shoots soon become smooth and dark brown. The leaves are somewhat like Norway maple but smaller, not pointed and are coarsely toothed, borne alternately on the shoots and not palmately veined. The lower pair of lobes is cut much more deeply than the others. The leaves are rather lustrous deep green on top, pale green or yellowish underneath. They turn yellow and crimson in autumn.

The flat-topped in florescence, which opens in June, is comprised of small creamy-white bi-sexual flowers which are followed by green oval berries that later turn brown and drab, and become wrinkled and marked with numerous lenticels. 

The bark is grey to black, smooth at first, later dividing into small thin scales which are shed. Suckers are produced. The wood is tough and has whitish sapwood and red-brown heartwood.

It is uncertain to what extent this interesting and uncommon tree justifies its old name as a cure for colic (tormina); its berries are acid to the taste.

Sorbus Torminalis - Wild Service Tree in Autumn

Young plant of  Wild Service Tree

 Wild Service Tree Leaves

Wild Service Tree Leaves in Autumn

Leaves of Sorbus Torminalis 

Wild Service Tree Flowers

Flowers of Sorbus Torminalis 

Fruits of  Wild Service Tree

Wild Service Tree Fruits 

Wild Service Tree Bark

Bark of Sorbus Torminalis

Sorbus Torminalis in Autumn

Sorbus Torminalis - Wild Service Tree