Figure 7.—American mountain-ash (Sorbus americana)

Synonym

Pyrus americana DC.

Other Common Names

Roundwood, round-tree, American rowan tree American servicetree, mountain sumac, dogberry, quickbeam, wild ash, winetree, witchwood, life-of-man, Indian mozemize, missey-moosey, moose-misse.

Habitat And Range

The American mountain-ash occurs in swamps, low woods, or moist ground from Newfoundland south along the mountains to North Carolina and to Michigan. It is most abundant in the northern portion of its range.

Description

This smooth-barked tree reaches a height of 30 feet with a trunk 18 inches in diameter. The leaves resemble those of the sumac, consisting of from 11 to 17 lance-shaped, pointed leaflets about 1 1/4 to 4 inches long. When young they are slightly hairy, both sides soon becoming smooth. The white flowers are borne from May to June in dense clusters measuring from 3 to 6 inches across. The flowers are followed later in the season by large, dense, showy clusters of bright-red berries about the size of peas, which give the tree a brilliant appearance.

Part Used

The bark with the outer layer removed.