Common Rowan

The Rowan or Mountain Ash is found throughout the UK, and is suitable for most situations. The leaves are highly feathered or "pinnate", with each leaf consisting of many pairs of indented lobes.

Cascades of small white flowers are produced in late spring.

The tree is at its best in the autumn, when the leaves take on red-orange tints, and abundant clusters of red berries provide extra colour.

Rowans are distantly related to crab-apples and the berries can be cooked in a similar way, to make Rowan jelly. The berries are also very attractive to birds.

Rowans grow easily from seed, and there are numerous cultivated varieties - usually chosen for their more varied leaf shapes or fruit colours. All forms of this species seem to be good hosts for mistletoe.

Common Rowan rowan trees for sale

• 12-year bare-root tree £45.00
  Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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• 22-year pot-grown tree £70.00
  In a 12L pot
  Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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Order now for delivery from week commencing 6th January.

Common Rowan characteristics

• Gardening skillBeginner
• Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive fruitAttractive tree / plantAutumn foliage colour
• Growth habitUpright
• Height after 10 years3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
• Growth rateAverage
• Site conditionsCoastal siteOccasional floodingWindy site
• WildlifeAttractive to birdsRHS Plants for Pollinators
• Flower colourWhite
• Flowering monthMayJune
• Leaf colourGreen
• Leaf colour - autumnOrange / Red
• Leaf/Flower sequenceLeaves appear first
• Fruit colourRed
• Fruit persistencePersistent
• Annual cycleDeciduous

Similar varieties

• Sorbus aucuparia
  Asplenifolia
  The Cut-leaf Rowan, an excellent form of the native Mountain Ash, orange-red berries, and highly feathered leaves.
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Croft Coral
  Croft Coral is a small rowan tree but the fruits are an orange coral colour rather than the usual red,
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Ember Glow
  This rowan has bluish-green leaves which turn orange-red in the autumn.The fruitlets are red, and persist well into winter.
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Fingerprint
  A particularly upright form of the Mountain Ash, and one of the most disease-resistant.
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Glendoick Spire
  A small compact rowan with an upright form, notable for its bright pink fruitlets and feathered leaves.
• Sorbus
  Glendoick White Baby
  Glendoick White Baby is a superb tree for autumn colour, with large bright white berries and bright red leaves.
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Sheerwater Seedling
  A compact upright form of the Common Rowan, notable for its abundant fruiting.

What will it look like?

Illustrative example of a pot-grown tree of this variety as supplied. Approximate girth: 6/8cm. We try to keep all pot-grown trees down to about 1.5m as supplied, but some may be larger. Trees should reach their mature height after about 10 or more years. We may also have 1-year bare-root trees of this variety - they are not shown here.

How to choose a Rowan or Whitebeam tree

We list more than 50 Sorbus (rowan and whitebeam) trees. Choosing can be difficult! Our article explaining the different berry and leaf colours might help narrow down the selection.