Wild Service Trees, Large

Sorbus torminalis: Bareroot Wild Service / Chequer Trees in Standard Sizes

Sorbus torminalis, the Wild Service Tree, is a native deciduous tree with edible fruit.

It has a beautiful form, with upright, sweeping branches, coated in deeply textured bark. As the tree ages, the rough young bark begins to crackle into vaguely rectangular scales that gradually flake off, creating a sort of chequered effect that might be the root of one of its common names, the chequer or checker tree.

The broad, glossy, deeply toothed leaves look a bit like a maple and turn into a lovely range of bronze yellows and russet reds in autumn. It produces lots of small clusters (corymbs) of white flowers in May that point upwards out of the foliage, making them more visible for you and for the insects that they want to attract.

Although it's not grown for its fruit in modern times, a Wild Service tree's produce is a fun addition to any fruit lover's collection once you have all your essential fruit trees planted.
Very much one to share with the birds, the small fruit have a good texture and flavour after being kissed by frost, softening them - this is known as Bletting, same as with Medlar fruit.

It can reach a height of 13-15 metres, exceptionally over 20.

Browse our variety of large garden trees or our full range of trees.

Delivery season: Wild Service trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it is convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Features:

• Height: 15m
• Soil: Almost any
• Colour: White flowers in May
• Edible fruit require bletting (freeze-thaw): small but tasty.
• Native
• RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Bareroot delivery only: November-March

Growing Wild Service Trees

Very flexible: it prefers deep, fertile, moist lowland sites, where it will tolerate light shade, but will grow perfectly well in dry chalky or sandy soils as long as it has plenty of sun. It doesn't mind a bit of waterlogging in winter.