Rowan Trees

The trees in the Sorbus genus are from the Rosaceae family and most of these fantastic trees are native to China. Sorbus trees are commonly known as Rowan, Mountain Ash or Whitebeam trees; notably, despite the common name of 'Mountain Ash', these trees are not related to ash trees – but some varieties do have similar leaves to that of an ash. The leaves are divided up into attractive leaflets, which are often pinnate in shape, and many varieties feature fantastic autumn leaf colour. These trees are deciduous so they will lose their leaves in autumn, but they have added autumn interest with the clusters of fruit, and these usually hold on well into winter. The highly distinctive berry-like fruits make a stunning autumn display and they are great for attracting wildlife to your garden too. If you want to attract birds to your garden they try planting one of the more colourful fruiting varieties, like the 'Joseph Rock', and this variety is actually known as the 'bird catcher' because the golden yellow berries prove to be irresistible to birds. Instead of letting the birds take the berries, you could actually pick them and make your own rowan jelly – this is a great accompaniment to game-based dishes and it adds a tangy twist.

In terms of uses in the garden, Sorbus trees are great for adding height and structure and they look particularly effective when they are planted in a row in front of a wall or fence. You can try planting alternate varieties next to each other to create an appealing autumnal display of colour.