Castle Howard Arboretum Trust - Furniture Makers Trees

Botanical name: Sorbus aucuparia

Family: Rosaceae

Common Name: Rowan, Mountain Ash

Habitat and Distribution:

Rowan occurs widely throughout Europe, in western Asia in Russia and the Caucasus region, and in North Africa in the mountains of Morocco. Throughout its range it occurs in a variety of habitats, but it commonly grows in mountains and has been recorded at elevations of up to 2,000 metres in France.

Rowan grows in most parts of Britain, but is more common in the north and west, and is found throughout Scotland. It grows at a higher altitude than any other tree in the country and occurs at elevations of almost 1,000 metres in parts of the Highlands.

Rowan prefers light and peaty soils which are not water logged up to 1000 metres, it is not particularly tolerant of shading.

Description:

Rowan is a fast-growing, short-lived (up to 100 years or more) pioneer tree, it is typically a small tree, reaching a maximum height of 10-15 metres, or exceptionally, 20 metres. It is slender in form, although mature trees can be quite substantial. Multi-stemmed forms are quite common, as a result of browsing by mammals and the subsequent production of basal shoots. The branches are typically upward-pointing and terminate in ovoid, purplish buds, which are often covered in grey hairs.

Rowan leaves are compound, each leaf is made up of matched pairs of leaflets on either side of a stem, with a terminal leaflet at the end. The leaves are dark green above, frosty green below and are up to 20 cm. in length, and are comprised of 9-15 leaflets, which are serrated with small teeth. In autumn they turn a bright orange-red colour before being shed.

The flowers blossom after the leaves have appeared, usually in May or early June, and are creamy-white in colour. Individual flowers are about 1 cm. in diameter and they grow in dense clusters or corymbs, each containing up to 250 flowers, and measuring 8-15 cm. across. The strong, sweet scent attracts pollinating insects, including many species of flies, bees and beetles.

The fertilised flowers grow into berries which are 8 mm. in diameter and these ripen to a bright red colour in August or early September, they contain up to 8 small seeds, although 2 seeds per fruit is most common.

The greyish-brown bark is smooth and shiny when wet, with dark raised dots or lenticels scattered across it.

Location within the arboretum:

The specimen is to be found in the north eastern corner of the old entrance gate area.

Furniture Makers Trees at The Arboretum - Kew at Castle Howard

Timber:

Dense hard pale brown wood.

Uses:

The timber has been used for tool handles, turnery, carving, country furniture, veneers and marquetry.

Spinning wheels have been traditionally made of rowan wood.

In the middle ages it was used to make bows, bowls and platters.

The rowan's wood is strong and resilient, making excellent walking sticks.

Rowan timber makes good firewood

Druids used the bark and berries to dye the garments worn during lunar ceremonies black, and the bark was also used in the tanning process. Rowan twigs were used for divining, particularly for metals.

The berries can be made into or added to a variety of alcoholic drinks, and different Celtic peoples each seem to have had their favourites. As well as the popular wine still made in the Highlands, the Scots made a strong spirit from the berries, the Welsh brewed an ale, the Irish used them to flavour Mead, and even a cider can be made from them.

Today rowan berry jelly is still traditionally eaten with game.