Round-leaved whitebeam

Rowan (Sorbus) is a genus of deciduous, frost-hardy shrubs and trees, including about 190 species. In nature rowans are found in forests and mountainous areas of the northern and middle parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Relatively easy to care for, most rowans look magnificent for almost the entire year.

In nature the round-leaved whitebeam forms independent thickets, growing in the understorey. Shade-tolerant mesophyte, microtherm, mesotroph, edificator of shrub communities, assectator, co-dominant of the understorey, autochthonous, stable in stone-birch stands, unstable in other forest types.

Appearance: a large shrub with numerous stems or a small tree, reaching heights of 6-12 m and widths of 4-8 m; crown broad, open, conical or rounded, branches arranged vertically, slow-growing, 25-40 cm per year.

Flowers: white, large, compound umbels, appearing after leaf-out, in late May, with a sharp scent.

Fruits: spherical, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, weighing about 1 g, orange-red, edible but tasteless.

Leaves: broadly ovate, leathery, rough, with white pubescence when unfolding, later dark green above and white below, autumn coloration yellowish or the leaves fall without changing color.

Root system: very deep, stable.

Requirements: sun/partial shade, tolerant of high temperatures, prefers warmth, winter-hardy, wind-resistant, suitable for urban conditions.

Soils: from dry to fresh, sensitive to high moisture, on any well-drained, relatively fertile substrates, from acidic to alkaline.

Usage: of interest as a fruit-bearing and highly ornamental species, recommended for group and solitary plantings in gardens, parks, squares, for hedges and edges.

Zone: 5a