Mystery Ash Tree ID - Friend or Foe?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by artnerd, May 14, 2015.

  1. artnerd

    artnerd Active Member

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    I have a few volunteer Mountain Ash seedlings that originated from a mysterious mature tree in a previous garden, that I'd like to add to my current garden. However, I am concerned it may be of the invasive European Mountain Ash variety, and not indigenous.

    Mature parent tree was @ 25' tall, prolific tiny, creamy white blossoms heavily scented, with bright orangey/red berries and gold fall leaf colour.

    Can anyone please confirm which Ash this is by the pix? "Friend" gets a prime garden slot, "Foe" gets the (City) compost bin.

    Thank you in advance.
     

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  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Sorbus aucuparia, as usual. The locally native species have no apical dominance at all, produce therefore multiple similar small trunks from the base and will rarely manage to reach 25' tall. And I don't think any of them are likely to produce leaves with that many leaflets. At this latitude they are strictly creatures of the mountains, before the recent interest in natives only plantings seldom seen in cultivation outside of collections - and not expected to be routinely generating numbers of seedlings outside of the habitat.
     
  3. abgardeneer

    abgardeneer Active Member

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    NB. It's not an "ash", it's a "mountain ash". The former common name refers to Fraxinus spp. but the latter is what you have, a Sorbus spp..
     
  4. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Actually a rowan Sorbus, not an ash Fraxinus.
     

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