How do you recognise Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)?

Leaf

Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Rowan

Sorbus aucuparia L.

Also known as: Mountain ash

Family: Rosaceae

8 to 15 m tall

Open forests, mountains, often planted in towns

Flowering: May

Full sun

Part shade

Very hardy, to -20°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Clusters of small bright red berries from late summer — a very easy marker. The rowan has small round berries, never pear-shaped, whereas the true service tree has small brown pear-shaped fruits, edible when bletted.

🍃 Leaves

Compound, 9 to 15 narrow, toothed leaflets, like an ash leaf

🌸 Flowers

White corymbs with a strong smell

🍎 Fruits

Small bright red berries in dense clusters, much liked by birds

🪵 Bark

Grey, smooth, with small lenticels

🗺️ Distribution

Europe, western Asia; very common in France in the mountains and at woodland edges

🐝 Value for pollinators

White corymbs yielding nectar in spring, visited by bees; fruits much liked by birds (thrushes, blackbirds)

✂️ Horticultural uses

Planted as a specimen for its decorative orange fruits, valued in gardens for attracting birds

⚠️ Possible toxicity

Fruits slightly toxic raw (parasorbic acid), harmless cooked or made into jelly

⚠️ Look-alike species

Rowan

Sorbus aucuparia

True service tree

Sorbus domestica

The rowan has small round berries, never pear-shaped, whereas the true service tree has small brown pear-shaped fruits, edible when bletted.

🌿 Other Rosaceae to discover

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.