American Mountain Ash
Sorbus americana
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval.
Sorbus americana is a deciduous Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 7 m (23ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 10
Where it is found
Woods, borders of swamps and rocky hillsides at higher elevations.
Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to N. Carolina, west to Illinois and Manitoba.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Fruit - raw or cooked. Rich in iron and vitamin C. The fruit is used mainly in making pies, preserves etc, but it can also be eaten raw after a frost because it turns sweeter then. The fruit has a high tannin content and so should only be used in moderation if eaten raw. It can also be dried and ground into a meal. The fruit is produced in dense clusters and is up to 8mm in diameter.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The inner bark has astringent and antiseptic properties. It is also used as a blood purifier and appetite stimulant. An infusion is used (sometimes with the terminal buds added) in the treatment of colds, debility, diarrhoea etc. When mixed with sweet flag (Acorus calamus) it is used as a tonic. A poultice of the burnt bark has been used in the treatment of boils. The fruit is antiscorbutic, diuretic, mildly laxative, astringent and digestive. It is an ideal accompaniment for foods that are hard to digest. A tea from the berries is antiscorbutic and astringent. It has been used as a rectal wash for piles. It is also used in homeopathic remedies.
Antiscorbutic: A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
Appetizer: Improves the appetite
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Blood purifier: Purifies the blood.
Digestive: Aids digestion.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating: 2
Wood - soft, light, close grained, with little strength. It weighs about 34lb per cubic foot and is of no commercial value.
Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Specimen. Succeeds in most reasonably good soils in an open sunny position. Tolerates partial shade, though it fruits better in a sunny position. Dislikes dry soils. Able to succeed in poor soils and to become established on exposed open ground. A slow-growing and relatively short-lived tree in the wild, it fruits freely in Britain. Plants are susceptible to fireblight. Special Features:Attracts birds, North American native, Attractive flowers or blooms. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 8 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a standard with a non-suckering single trunk. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is branching: a heart root, dividing from the crown into several primary roots going down and out .
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. If you have sufficient seed it can be sown in an outdoor seedbed. Stored seed germinates better if given 2 weeks warm then 14 - 16 weeks cold stratification, so sow it as early in the year as possible. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Seedlings are very slow to put on top-growth for their first year or two, but they are busy building up a good root system. It is best to keep them in pots in a cold frame for their first winter and then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy; Secondary; Sunny Edge;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 2-6
Growth: Slow
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The seeds probably contain hydrogen cyanide. This is the ingredient that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. Unless the seed is very bitter it should be perfectly safe in reasonable quantities. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
S. microcarpa.