American Mountain Ash

Rosaceae Sorbus americana
Synonym -PyrusamericanaDC
Leaves    Bark   Flowers    Berries


 
American Mtn Ash Common Names of the American Mtn. Ash:
  • Roundwood 
  • Round-tree
  • American rowan tree
  • American servicetree
  • Mountain sumac
  • Dogberry
  • Quickbeam
  • Wild ash
  • Wine tree
  • Witchwood
  • Life-of-man
  • Indian mozemize
  • Missey-moosey
  • Moose-misse

Habitat and range: The American mountain-ash occurs naturally in swamps, low woods, or moist ground from Newfoundland south along the mountains to North Carolina and to Michigan. It is most abundant in the northern portion of this range.  It is common in openings, scattered on uplands along edges of woods and roadsides.  It thrives in soil that is clay, loamy, and sandy.
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Bark is grayish brown and develops cracks and splits with age though very smooth when young
Smooth Bark		 Leaflets
Pinnately compound leaves consist of from 11 to 17 lance-shaped, pointed leaflets about 1 1/4 to 4 inches long with serrated edges
This smooth-barked tree reaches a height of 30-40 feet with a trunk of up to 18 inches in diameter. When young, the leaves are slightly hairy, and both sides soon become smooth.

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Flowers

White flowers borne from May to June in dense clusters 

 Flowers Close-up

Flowers measure from 3 to 6 inches across
 
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Berries The flowers are followed later in the season by large, dense, showy clusters of bright-red berries about the size of peas, which give the tree a brilliant appearance.

The American Mountain Ash is a slow growing, short lived tree and is not very heat or drought tolerant.

Identified by Megan Pereyra & Tony Brock