The bonny rowan tree is a hardy little mountain ash tree with soft, delicate, fern-shaped leaves. Often planted as an ornamental tree for its beauty, it is also useful in providing an excellent source of shade in the summer. It blossoms generously in the spring with creamy white flowers. Round, reddish-organge berries follow after flowering. In autumn, when it comes time to rake up all of those dainty little leaves, the rowan tree’s splendid fall color alone will leave you inspired enough to find the labor well worthwhile.
The rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia) is the most widely planted ash tree. It will grow well in U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones 3 to 5. It grows in the wild throughout northern Europe in the most inhospitable of glens and crags. The berries are a staple for migrating birds and other wildlife.
The rowan enjoys a rich history in its native land. Adored by many, it has been planted for its protective powers in mountain and cottage gardens for centuries. It is believed to ward off witches and evil spirits with its mystical virtues. It is also revered as the “Tree of Good Luck.” The rowan tree’s greatest virtue may simply be its benevolent gift of beauty through the seasons.
How to Plant and Care for a Rowan Tree
The best time to plant a rowan tree is in late fall after the young tree has gone dormant. Plant your rowan tree in a full sun or partly shaded location. Dig a hole three times the width of the root ball, place the tree in the hole, and fill in the soil around it. Ideally, the soil should be well draining, although the rowan tree is not too finicky about its conditions and will adapt to rocky and clay soils, too. Water your new transplant deeply, and stake your tree for support.
After your rowan tree has deeply rooted, it prefers to have its soil moist. However, it can be trusted to withstand drought, winds and cold.
A rowan tree may need to be pruned when it is young to remove vertical branches or those that crossover other branches. Once the tree is mature, it will no longer require pruning.
The berries of the rowan tree are rich in Vitamin C. While they have a bitter flavor, they can used to make a tasty jelly. Or they can be harvested after they are overripe or after a frost as they will sweeten a bit if the birds will leave them alone for that long.
Rowan Tree Pests and Problems
The rowan tree is tough and tenacious. It is not prone to many diseases as long as it is planted in the cold regions it prefers. If grown in warmer environments, it is prone to fire blight. Prune away the affected branches, as there is no other cure for this bacterial disease.
Lichen will sometimes grow on the bark of the rowan tree, but this is rarely a problem.
Deer love to eat the leaves of the rowan tree . This may be a problem for some while at the same time attract some to planting this tree.
Varieties to Try
- ‘Fructo Luteo’ is a nice garden-sized tree reaching 25 ft rather than the common rowan tree height of 50 ft. This variety produces a golden fruit in the fall.
- ‘Sheerwater seedling’ is a narrower upright rowan that is often used to line streets.
The Rowan Tree – The Woodland Trust
Identify Species of Rowan (Mountain Ash) Trees – Garden Action
Thanks – very helpful.
I planted a bare root sapling from a Scottish friend into a garden in Mid Wales in autumn 2013. It have taken and grown well with good foliage but no flowers (& so no berries) yet. What is the dormancy period, please?
At the same time I planted a bare root sapling crab apple from the sale donor – with the same absence of flowers so far.
What is the dormancy period, please?
Autumn or Fall as you Yanks call it.
Ah this is the name of the tree! We do not see as many of them in the Pacific Northwest but people have inquire about them i the past.
Thank you for your detailed information. Some friends are hoping to make their garden more friendly to animals. This can be a great suggestion!
I had a mountain ash volunteer in my Seattle garden. the home was built in’47. I moved in in ’89 and wondered about it on the north facing window on the property line. Grew to adore it. Watched it through 13 seasons. !!!!!❤
Would one grow well in Zone 6B?
Can Rowen Mountain Ash be grown from berries ? I would like to have a go. I work with people with special needs and they love to see new shoots popping up.
Yes ! The squirrel planted the seeds in my yard from the tree 4 properties from me.
It’s doing well. About 4y old now. Thank you squirrel ! The mother tree, sadly, has been cut down by the owners and my little one is the legacy that goes on, to my delight. 🙂
Can I plant a rowan in February or March?
Yes David plant your bare root rowan know Feb/March this is the best time when the tree is dormant and stake it. Barney.
As a Scot, I have planted a Rowan Tree in every garden I have had in Scotland, England and Australia.
In case some people are unaware, there is a beautiful song by Scottish singer, Kenneth McKellar called ‘Rowan Tree’, available on You Tube. It is unbearably romantic and sentimental, particularly for those living 13,000 miles from home!
Tony
We live on the Coast of British Columbia, Canada and have several Mountain Ash Trees in our 1 acre property. Last year something stripped the leaves off of a couple of them. I thought it was a bug of some sort. Any suggestions as to spraying ? It is now mid April and they seem to be getting new leaves. There is a German Song entitled “Vogelbeerbaum” which means “Bird Berry Tree”. Thanks for your input. They are a beautiful Tree.
Every year my rowan trees leaves curl up as if its got caterpillars, ive opened them up to find nothing, can anyone help!
Hi I have had my rowan since the birth of my daughter 12 yrs ago, it has been moved around a lot, in a very large pot, always survived and flourished, until feb this year when it literally overnight lost all its leaves and berries, and has been completely bald and naked eversince, I fed it plant food and new soil ontop of it, but still nothing, please help, it means so much to me and my daughter.
We inherited a mature Rowan tree when we bought this house fifteen years ago. It has generally seemed to be doing okay, producing a crop of berries every year, etc. The trunk is between one and two feet in diameter.
But last year I had to saw off a couple of dead limbs and now the tree is definitely not prospering. It does grow up through an overgrown juniper bush and it does have to endure the summer droughts we have on Vancouver Island. Is it just finished, i.e., there is an age limit on these trees or can I do something to revive it?
my ash tree is several years old and the winter of 2019 did not lose its leaves and berries but fed the birds and deer all winter. Last summer the tree looked like it was dying. It got leaves but not many and not many berries. This spring I thought maybe it would dye but has lots of blossoms and has some dead branches and still not many leaves . please tell me if something is wrong!!!
Can I just stick the berries from a mountain ash into a pot to get a tree? I have a nice cluster of red berries and would like to grow a tree.
Yes you can.
If the squirrel succeeded in planting the rowan tree for me – so will you ! 🙂
Another really cool tip is that the wood is so dense that it’s perfect for carving, which makes it perfect for walking sticks or even tool handles if you decide that you need to replace any of your old ones or just want to add a nice natural look to it.
Love reading about all these amazing trees!
This tree is a beauty that I have been wanting for ages. I currently live in Maryland. Please tell me it can grow here.
Supposedly they don’t do well above zone 5, but I’ve had a Rowan tree in my yard (I live in Silver Spring, so that’s zone 7a) since 2016. So far it’s doing fine, although, despite the fact that it gets some shade from a red oak, the leaves do get a bit burned in the heat of the summer.
Mountain Ash grows well in Western Washington.
Can I plant a new mountain ash where I’ve had to remove one with fire blight?
The Rowen tree is susceptible to the Emerald Ash Borer and often goes unnoticed until the top leaves start to fall and thin and the woodpeckers start pulling off the bark to get these borers. Evidently we can treat them with an insecticide that protects them for 3 years to a time. Local forestry consultants can steer you to the correct treatments, which are, unfortunately necessary in the Americas as over 90% of the Mountain Ash trees have been killed off from Emerald Ash Borers. So enjoy these lovely trees, but protect them until this current infestation is no longer a threat.
I have Rowan/ Mountain Ash in my back yard in Northeast Oregon Zone 5. So beautiful! I love them!
I’m in N.E.California (zone 6 a&b,7a&b). I have a Mountain Ash(Rowan)that has been growing in my yard since the houses were built in this town(late 1800/early 1900’s). I try to baby it as much as possible,as this is the last Ash tree here on Ash Street! Town was built by a logging company,so all our streets are named after trees! We were even a “company town” til the mid 1900’s. We get lots of snow here,and my little Ash Tree is my pride n joy in my yard!