Chinese Mountain Ash / Chinese Rowan - Sorbus vilmorinii
A small, fully hardy tree that is easily kept as a tall shrub, Sorbus vilmorinii has bags of ornamental value and is one of the most delicate and graceful Rowans. The foliage consists of long fronds of opposing leaflets that spread out as though they are investigating their surroundings, twitching in the lightest breeze. In spring, large clusters of white flowers rise up from the base of the leaves - these are smaller than those of other types of Rowan but they more than make up for it by appearing in such dense numbers that they seem to froth out of the tree. When autumn comes, the leaves go out in a jumble of rich, deep reds and purples that help show off the bold colours of the plentiful berries, which will reward your admiration by slowly changing colour from maroon to rosy white, stopping at shell pink on the way. Like its relatives, it is pollution resistant and a great choice if you live in the middle of the city.
Sorbus vilmorinii was introduced to Europe in about 1890 by either Abbot Delavay or Father Armand David, two French missionaries who spent long careers in China. They worked at the same time and were both prolific plant collectors - it seems that both men were too modest to ensure that they were remembered as the one who discovered this beautiful plant. This Rowan tree was discovered on the north side of the mountain ranges that mark the border between Kashmir and China.
Planting Sorbus vilmorinii:
Sorbus vilmorinii is used to mountain conditons - regular rainfall keeping the soil moist even though the drainage is very good and lots of sun. It likes an acidic soil and won't grow well on chalk. It is very hardy and will still put on a great show if you plant it in a frosty area, as long as it gets enough light. This is a spreading tree that won't reach more than about 5 metres, 16 feet, tall.
If you are unclear about the way standard trees are sized, take a look at our Guide to Standard Tree Sizing or you can go back to our main standard trees page.
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