Sorbus Wilfordii Japanese Rowan or Japanese Mountain Ash

Sorbus Wilfordii or Japanese Rowan is a deciduous tree of Mountain Ash variety that holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. It’s a superb compact sorbus with excellent autumnal colour and creamy-white springtime flowers. This is  perfect tree for small gardens and mixed borders.

Sorbus Wilfordii is native to Asia and is better known as Japanese Rowan or Japanese Mountain Ash. It was introduced to the UK in the 1880s from Korea and Japan and has adapted well to the UK climate.In spring, slender Japanese Rowan unfurls brand new pale green pinnate foliage on slightly drooping stems. As spring progresses its foliage matures to deeper green and is joined by creamy-white spring flowers in heads up to 15 centimetres across.
Japanese Mountain Ash is loved for its bright berries and Sorbus Wilfordii doesn’t disappoint. Its creamy flowers develop into large clusters of red and orange-red berries that are loved by blackbirds, waxwings, and thrushes.
As autumn approaches its pinnate foliage slowly turns shades of yellow then red and finally purple before falling with the late winter frosts.

Japanese Rowan is a very attractive slender tree with lots of colour and interest all year round. It doesn’t get too big so its suits urban areas and compact gardens that love birdlife.

Height And Spread of Sorbus Wilfordii
Japanese Mountain Ash reaches a maximum of 12 metres, but only spreads across 4-8 metres. It’s a slimline tree that takes 50 years to reach its full potential height.

How Hardy Is Sorbus Wilfordii
It’s fully hardy in the UK if it’s grown on well-drained soil.

How To Use Sorbus Wilfordii
Japanese Mountain Ash suits wildlife-friendly, low-maintenance gardens as part of a colourful woodland scheme, but it’s also a superb specimen tree in compact urban gardens.
Sorbus are very popular trees for housing estates because they are slim and colourful and don’t outgrow their space. If you’re looking for a hardy compact tree with lots of interest then Sorbus Wilfordii is a reliable choice.

How To Care For Sorbus Wilfordii
This is an easy-grow tree that suits the majority of well-drained soils. Full sun or partial shade is important, but it’s not fussy about pH and will happily grow in chalk through to sand and drained clay.
Exposed or sheltered spots are suitable, but more flowers and berries will grow on sheltered specimens. Pruning isn’t required but you can remove damaged or wayward branches in the dormant winter months.
Be sure to give it lots of water until you see new growth because underwatering is a top killer of newly planted trees. Apply a thick layer of well-rotted organic matter in spring to trap moisture and provide nutrients for the coming year.