What Europeans callrowan tree , most North Americans know as European mountain - ash ( Sorbus aucuparia ) . This feature - fill , decorative tree is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture flora hardiness zones 3 through 7 , where clime and related to conditions match its natural preference . When stressed , the tardily - growing , short - be rowan tree suffers from diseases and pestilence , but given the cool , damp zones it prefers , the tree thrive — particularly in the Northeast and Northwest .

Cool-Summer Climates

aboriginal to northerly Europe and western Asia , rowan tree find a welcoming climate across the northerly United States and Canada and has naturalized extensively along the northern coasts and near - inland areas . Rowan Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s lack of heat leeway limits its usage in ardent climates . The tree prefers full sun and wo n’t tolerate northern spectre , but demands good afternoon shade in the southern limit point of its USDA zona . Even the Midwest ’s live summer stresses restrict its economic consumption too far south . As its common name suggest , European slew - ash flourishes in foothills and high elevations that spare it from summer daytime heat .

Plentiful Precipitation

Rowan tree wo n’t hold up quaggy , waterlogged soil , but the tree has even less tolerance for drouth condition . Throughout its USDA zones , summer rain twin with winter precipitation to keep rowan roots coolheaded and consistently moist . They answer with healthy development that supports the tree as it matures to 40 feet tall and spread of 25 feet or more . Northern coastal area with abundant hastiness and humidness primed rowan tree peculiarly well . It shinny in orbit with modified rain and requires regular , thorough watering during drought .

Soil pH Preferences

The higher rainfall find in rowan tree diagram ’s USDA zones often advertise acidic grime pH. Over time , heavier rain wash away the soil constituent that unremarkably limit soil sourness . Not surprisingly , rowan tree adapts readily to noncompacted soils ranging from clay and loam to sand , but it prefers highly acid to more or less alkaline stain in the pH ambit of 4.5 to 7.5 . Rowan tree ’s preferred soil nutrient stay available in greater measure at these lower pH levels set up throughout much of its growing zones . The tree has only moderate toleration for saline solution soil and sea or road - table salt atomizer .

Winter Chilling

gardener note value Sorbus aucuparia tree diagram for their 3- to 5 - inch , cream - white flower clusters , multicolored gloaming leaf and the prolific , orange - flushed fruit that the British enjoy for press . But those feature article falter without reliably cold winter . Unlike plants that look to daylight distance for quiescence signal , rowan tree rely on temperature . Lack of winter chill disturbs the tree ’s shallow dormancy and throws off cue stick to enter and end its dormant stop . Like its congenator the domesticated apple ( Malus domestica ) , hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8 , the timing , measure and tone of rowan Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s flowers and fruit depend on the winter chilling its USDA zones supply .

References

Rowan berries, Mountain ash (Sorbus)