NEN Gallery

This tree is a hybrid of Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and Whitebeam (Sorbus aria). It has upward pointing branches. The leaves show a combination of the characters of Rowan which has pinnate leaves and Whitebeam which has simple leaves. The leaves are shiny green and deeply lobed with two pairs of free leaflets. The leaves narrow to a distinctive point at the tip and the underside of leaf is downy. It produces clusters of white flowers in May. The fruits are smaller and a darker red than the Rowan Tree. Hybrids are common in the Sorbus genus, very often these hybrids are apomictic (self-fertile without pollination), so able to reproduce clonally from seed without any variation. The seeds are often spread by birds. This has led to a very large number of microspecies, particularly in Western Europe (including Britain). This hybrid is frequently planted as a street tree, however this tree was pictured in the Countryside near Northill, Bedfordshire May 2006.