Trees Planet: Sorbus scopulina - Greene Mountain-Ash

Friday, March 13, 2015

Sorbus scopulina - Greene Mountain-Ash

General Information

Common Name	Greene Mountain-ash
Scientific Name	*Sorbus scopulina*
Sun Tolerance	Full Sun
Height	9 - 12 m (30-40 ft)
Spread	6 -8 m (20 - 30 ft)
Growth Rate	Fast
Bloom Time	Spring
Color	Green,
Flower Color	White
Type	Tree
Native	USA, Asia, Europe.

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. scopulina

Sorbus scopulina - Greene Mountain-Ash

Sorbus scopulina commonly known as Greene Mountains-Ash also called Cascade Mountain-Ash. It is native to western North America, primarily in the Rocky Mountains.

It is a deciduous Shrub. It is grows 1 - 6 m (3.3-20 ft) in height and up to 10 cm in stem diameter. It usually has multiple stems with smooth yellowish to grayish-red bark and slender light brown twigs that are white-hairy when young. Winter buds are glutinous and glossy. The alternate leaves are 10 to 20 cm long, odd-pinnately compound with seven to 15 lanceolate leaflets that are nearly sessile, pointed, and serrate on the margins. It blooms white flowers in late spring to early summer. Inflorescence a large, pubescent, flat-topped panicle, with at least 70 flowers, with the 5 lobes triangular; petals 5, oval, 5-6 mm. Fruit sub-globose, fleshy, orange to scarlet, glossy, about 1 cm broad. Fruit - raw, cooked in pies, preserves etc. or dried for later use. A bitter flavor. The fruit becomes sweeter and so tastes best after a frost, it can also be bletted if it is going to be eaten raw. This involves storing the fruit in a cool dry place until it is almost but not quite going rotten. At this stage the fruit of many species has a delicious taste, somewhat like a luscious tropical fruit. The fruit is up to 5mm across.