Common Whitebeam Trees, Large

• Variety: Common Whitebeam, the native species
• Latin name: Sorbus aria
• Sold as: Bareroot standards, 6/8 and 8/10cm girth
• Mature size: 8 to 12m tall and 4 to 8m across
• Time to full size: 20 to 50 years
• Leaves: Dark green, white-felted underneath
• Flowers: White, in clusters, in spring
• Berries: Red, in early autumn
• Position: Full sun or partial shade. Exposed or sheltered, and good by the sea
• Soil: Any well-drained soil. Best on chalk
• Tolerates: Pollution and dry conditions
• Native: Yes
• Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators. The berries feed birds
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Common Whitebeam is a native tree whose new leaves are white-felted, so in spring it looks from a distance as if it is in flower. It grows 8 to 12 metres tall, keeps an upright shape without help, and takes chalk, wind, pollution and the coast. It is on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list.

Common Whitebeam Trees, Large Standards

The common Whitebeam, Sorbus aria, is a fairly compact, native tree that keeps a nice rounded, upright shape without any attention, spreading a little (as we all do) when they get older. In early spring the new leaves that burst from the buds have a fuzzy white tomentose covering, giving the tree the appearance of being in flower from a distance. These fine hairs remain on the bottom surface of the leaves, hence the name and this is a characteristic of the Whitebeam varieties in our range. The foliage is well structured and quite rigid, pointing upwards slightly to expose their undersides, creating a shifting silver lining as the leaves flutter in the breeze, "the sudden-lighted whitebeam", as the poet George Meredith described it.

Then flat, circular clusters of creamy white flowers appear in late spring maturing by the end of summer into glossy green berries. These flush red in September and attract a variety of garden birds. When the leaves are still green, the berries look very decorative against them and make a good addition to a flower arrangement. In autumn the foliage colours nicely and the berries provide continuing interest. Rounded off with grey, fissured bark with a reddish tinge on new growth Whitebeam is one of the best all-rounders in the UK. In the wild, it's usually found on chalky sites where it's very drought resistant.

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

Growing Common Whitebeam

Any site with drainage will do, but like all members of the Sorbus family, Common Whitebeam is happiest on chalky or other alkaline ground. They're hardy, happy on the coast and exposed windy sites: all round a very useful tree. Like most trees, it does establish faster on fertile soil, so it's always a good idea to mix in plenty of well-rotted manure and or compost when planting. A mature Whitebeam tree will reach about 8 to 12 metres and grows pretty fast, reaching its full height in 30-40 years.

History & Trivia

In the past, hungry country folk would blet and eat the fruit, but we can't recommend it: Sorbus torminalis, on the other hand, is one of our most interesting native fruit. A much more useful trait of the Whitebeam tree is its extremely hard wood, which was once the timber of choice for machines like watermills.

How Standard Trees are Measured:
All the plants in the ornamental trees section are graded as standards, which means that they're measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level (basically, their trunk's waist measurement). They aren't measured by their height, which will vary. So, a 6/8 standard has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8 centimetres and an 8/10 standard has a trunk 8-10 centimetres around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height. Most standards are between 2 and 3.5 metres tall, but this is just an average: all trees are different... These are the biggest size that you can order: but for mass plantings, you can also buy smaller, sapling Whitebeam trees.

Planting Companions

Common Whitebeam is one of three Whitebeams we grow, with Lutescens and Majestica. For a native group on chalk, add Wild Service and Rowan, and look through our native trees. Dust bareroot roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Ashridge for Garden Trees?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Common Whitebeam comes as a bareroot tree, lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months. Plant it between November and April, and it will establish readily.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does a Whitebeam grow?

In time it reaches 8 to 12 metres tall and 4 to 8 metres across. It gets there in 20 to 50 years.

Will it grow on chalk?

Yes. It is at its happiest on chalk or other alkaline soil, and it stands up to dry conditions.

Is it a good tree for the coast?

Yes. It is happy by the sea and on exposed, windy sites, and it takes town pollution too.

Why is it called Whitebeam?

For the white felt under the leaves. In German it is Weissbaum, the white tree.

Can you eat the berries?

No. Birds eat them, but they are not for people or pets.

Is it native?

Yes. In the wild it is usually found on chalky ground.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot only, from November to April, while the trees are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your tree is lifted and sent once the season opens.