Sagrent's Rowan

Known as Sargent's Rowan, Sorbus sargentiana is a prestigious variety of mountain ash Native to western China, celebrated for its incredible texture and "over-sized" features. Large, dark red, resinous buds appear in Winter, that are famously sticky to the touch. As spring arrives, these buds burst into massive pinnate leaves—the largest of any Rowan—which emerge with a bronze tint before maturing to a lush, deep green. In late Spring, it carries wide, flat clusters of creamy-white flowers, which eventually transform into heavy, drooping trusses of small, brilliant orange-red berries. The Autumn display is legendary, with the large leaves turning a fiery palette of rich orange and intense scarlet. Because of its slow-to-moderate growth rate and neat, rounded habit, it is a perfect specimen tree for gardens where you want high impact without the tree taking over the skyline too quickly.

Site: Some shelter
Soil: Any reasonably well drained soil, acid to neutral soils preferred
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Season of Interest: Sticky Winter buds; large Summer foliage; scarlet Autumn colour and berries.
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 25–35ft (8–10m) after 20 years. Spread: 25ft (8m) after 20 years

Images by Leonora (Ellie) Enking cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0