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Sorbus decora
Sorbus decora (Sarg.) C.K. Schneid.
Northern Mountain Ash, Northern Mountain-ash, Showy Mountain-ash
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Synonym(s): Pyrus americana var. decora, Pyrus decora
USDA Symbol: sode3
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), GL (N), SPM (N)
A 25-50 ft. tree with a narrow crown and ascending branching. Branches low to the ground. Foliage is pinnately-compound with a blue-green, summer hue. Autumn color is yellow-orange to reddish-purple. Terminal clusters of white blossoms are followed by heavily drooping clusters of glossy, red or orange berries.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Pome
Size Notes: Up to about 50 feet tall.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Red
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: May , Jun
Distribution
USA: CT , IA , IL , IN , MA , ME , MI , MN , NH , NY , OH , PA , VT , WICanada: MB , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
Native Distribution: Lab. to n. Ont. & s.e. Man., s. to n.w. MA, NY, n. OH, WI & MN
Native Habitat: Wet to mesic woods; cool, moist slopes; lake shores
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part Shade , ShadeSoil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Any poor- to well-drained, wet to mesic soil.
Conditions Comments: Fire blight and borers are serious problems. This is also a very weak-wooded tree. It is difficult to find reliable sources of native species of mountain ash.
Benefit
Use Wildlife: An intermediate source of food for songbirds, waterfowl and small mammals.xWarning: Seeds are toxic and can be fatal to children if eaten. Sensitivity to a toxin varies with a person’s age, weight, physical condition, and individual susceptibility. Children are most vulnerable because of their curiosity and small size. Toxicity can vary in a plant according to season, the plant’s different parts, and its stage of growth; and plants can absorb toxic substances, such as herbicides, pesticides, and pollutants from the water, air, and soil.
Attracts: Birds
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FAC | UPL | FACU |
Web Reference
Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Sorbus decora in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Sorbus decora in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Sorbus decora
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-09-26Research By: TWC Staff