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Native Trees of Canada 



PYRUS AMERICANA (Marsh.) De C. MOUNTAIN ASH 



Common names: Mountain ash, rowan tree*, rowan berry.* 

 French names: Cormier, sorbier d'Amerique. 



The mountain ash has been found in various locaHties right across Canada 

 from Cape Breton to Saskatchewan, usually in moist soil along the borders of streams 

 and swamps, but frequently on drier sites such as rocky hillsides. 



Properly speaking it is not an ash at all, but is related to the apple tree. It is 

 a graceful tree and having attractive foliage, flowers, and fruit, is much planted for 

 ornamental purposes. 



It does not gain a great height, rarely over 30 ft. The crown is narrow, round- 

 topped, and open. The bark is greyish-brown and smooth, sometimes shredding 

 into thin scales. The stout twigs are reddish-brown and smooth. The winter 



nOUNTAIN ASH 



buds are large, about J^ in. long (the end bud considerably longer), conical, with 

 points slightly curved, gummy, and smooth. The European species, the rowan 

 {Pyrus aticuparia), has downy buds. 



The leaves are feather-like in the arrangement of the leaflets, from 6 to 8 in. 

 long and composed of thirteen to seventeen narrow, sharp-toothed leaflets. 



The fruit is a bright red berry the size of a pea, which grows in great, flat 

 clusters. These remain on the branches all winter and, in spite of their strong acid 



