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Month: January 2020

Sorbus aucuparia or Son of Mountain Ash

Sorbus aucuparia or Son of Mountain Ash

The Rowan or Mountain Ash, Sorbus aucuparia is a member of the same family as the rose and is part of the large Sorbus genus (50+ distinctive species).  They are highly variable with several regional sub species. The trees can be quite singular in appearance when shaped by wind on high moors and mountains.

The Rowan has an international mystical reputation.  Witch Tree, Wicken, Witchbane or Witch Wood are amongst old names for Rowan and hint at these perceived mystical properties of the tree. ‘The Rowan (runa) is prominent in Norse mythology as the tree from which the first woman was made, (the first man being made from the ash tree). It was said to have saved the life of the god Thor by bending over a fast flowing river in the Underworld in which Thor was being swept away, and helping him back to the shore’. Trees for Life.  A branch was often used over doorways or cattle byres to ward off the evil eye. In Celtic mythology Rowan is known as the Tree of Life and symbolises courage, wisdom and protection and in Ireland it is linked closely with fairies. Hindus  used the word runa for rowan whose branches were used as as staves that were carved with rune symbols. In the UK the Rowan is known as a tree associated with witchcraft, protecting people and dwellings. Druids think the trees are sacred   and are used for protection against sorcery and evil spirits. An example at the Pitt River museum in Oxford shows two sprigs of rowan tree wood tied with a red twine in the shape of a cross. This is believed to have been a common practice in some parts of Scotland to ward off spirits of the forest.

Venerable Rowan trees are much prized and rightly so. The seed of the isolated Rowan must have been carried to the rock in a bird-dropping from a distant tree. The harsh weather has limited the height but several smaller trunks have grown as though the tree was pollarded. Well that is Scottish wind for you. Lonely Rannoch Moor tree is next to small weedy Lochan on the Allt Lochain Ghaineamhach. The peak of Schiehallion is just visible on the horizon.

Mountain Ash which is  a member of the same group as the Whitebeams  are very much trees of open space, rock faces and open slopes. It is more surprising that these trees can be very rare foe example the Ley’s Whitebeam exists in  two sites in the Brecon Beacons and the Taff valley where they are the worlds only 17 specimens left. The Arran whitebeams (Sorbus arranensis and Sorbus pseaudo fennica) are Scotland’s rarest trees both on the WWF dangerously close to extinction list.

Not all sorbus trees are hard to find and I commend the Thorp Perrow arboretum for a good range of specimen trees. The list from there catalogue is shown below featuring over 70 plants many of which I visited several years ago.

The raw berry or fruit are unpalatable but can be made into a tart jelly. Cultivars have been developed for fruit that  is used in wine and liqueur brewing. You may wonder what else Rowan is good for as well as urban ornamentation. The wood is virtually all heartwood and is used for small tools, hoops, poles and high value treen. The wood can be stained many shades and colours. It is used for walking sticks and dowsing rods.

Catalogue of Sorbus specimens grown at Thorpe Perrow Yorkshire

An earlier post from Gardeners tips is now updated and augmented below:

Key Features of the Mountain Ash

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The Thinking Tree’s Life Cycle

The Thinking Tree’s Life Cycle

Tree of Knowledge

At the beginning of 2020 UK trees are getting a good press and their significance and importance is better recognised. The more we think about trees and what they can do for us so it is worth considering if and how trees think for themselves.

Early Years Thinking

  • How can we (the tree) get our seed distributed in an optimum manner. We want it in the right place at the right time to germinate and grow. We will use all the tricks of natures trade including water, wind and air blown distribution, animal and creature carrying with the possibility of a bit of fertiliser dropped in for free.
  • Our seed contains a genetic memory of our species and our specific parentage. Memory implies the basis of a thinking ability which will help govern our development into a full blown adult tree.
  • We think about our survival and often anticipate a high germination failure rate and significant early year losses. So we produce a volume of seed to counteract the anticipated conditions including weather, location and external factors.

 

Book Cover

Mid Life Thoughts and Actions

  • We trees recognise that we are part of a far wider natural and environments system and that we need ecological partnerships. One of the foremost partnership must be with the soil our home for life. The composition and inter-actions are worth much further thought and exploration. Our fruit, bark, canopy and shelter provide conditions for creatures, lichen and others and we can slowly modify our mix of the resources provided to keep pace with changing requirements.
  • Survival calls for our inherited skills. In some cases we must shed unwanted or unsustainable branches and we broad leaf trees are all taught from an early age to shed leaves each year once they have done their job. We think the rotting down of all these cast offs will enhance the soil fertility and feed the worms and fungus that are another partner.
  • Our fertile years turn thoughts to reproduction and particularly fertility. As we mature our hormones tell us to flower and set seed more profusely. Pollination needs the help of others such as insects, birds or winds.
  • Give a thought to our roots which are largely hidden from human view. We start to spread them beyond our canopy as we think it is a sensible thing to do.

  • In middle-age our crowns will level out, limbs grow thicker and we develop our own individual character.

Thoughts on Old Age

  • Venerable Oaks, Yews, Pines and many of our fellow species will live to a ripe old age of many hundreds of years. They have learnt to survive despite climate changes, war and pestilence both human and natural. You think that is just by accident? No we thought not!
  • We think that bending a branch down to earth will give us stability for a bit longer and hollowing out our trunk may provide food for our roots.
  • We grow faster the older we get until we reach a certain height but then stop getting taller.
  • Our dead trees can provide a good habitat for wildlife by providing food and shelter. First we should watch for insect and disease attacks that reduce our health and life expectancy.

This page is not just a ‘bonfire of the inanities’ but ‘shiver my timbers’  it is a plank for future.

 

Tree Project to Reduce My Ignorance

Tree Project to Reduce My Ignorance

I have been  inspired later in life by trees and all things with a tree connection. My previous lack of knowledge and propensity to skirt over a massive subject will be developed into a more active skirmish but probably in my normal  skittish manner.

Planning the project on the hoof I am starting in the middle of a tree life with a couple of early January  photos of buds. Some may think this Tree Peony bud is more of a shrub but I am using it to make a point about differentiation between trees and shrubs. In the main a shrub has more than one main stem whilst a tree has a single trunk. There are notable exceptions but that will do me for the time being. Another arbitrary difference is that trees are thought of as being taller than shrubs or bushes.

These buds were on what I took to be a large horse chestnut and I could only reach to photograph them with great difficulty. I can’t climb up trees to take as many photos as I wish as ‘I’m not a lumber jack and that not OK’.

Bud burst is a key and often colourful moment. Rhododendrons tend to feature more in the shrub category but the large older specimens at RHS Harlow Carr, for example, hit the tree heights as far as I am concerned. The Guinness Record for the tallest Rhododendron arboreum at 108 ft is still growing in India .

 

Tree or Shrub Differences.

  • In the UK gardening fraternity we are more familiar with ornamental shrubs for their colour, form and aesthetic appeal. Trees appeal at a higher level.
  •  Height is a differentiator but even experts have their differences.

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Late to the New Years Party 2020

Late to the New Years Party 2020

  • January is not a great time for a gardener to be slow of the mark but it is probably better then than in other months.  For my part I have been soaked and saturated by the heavy down pours so far this year that I have been late setting out my gardeners tips plans for the year.

Rhododendron buds

Before I launch onto my major project of the year ‘Trees‘ I will have a quick recap on my January activity so far.

  • In line with my resolution to improve all round plant health I have cleaned up all the indoor plants, trimmed off old brown leaves, given orchid leaves  a wipe down to remove dust and moved as many plants as possible into better light. I also used some Christmas present garden tokens to stock up on granulated fertiliser and spread some epsom salts on the raspberry canes.
  • Wanting to grow several ‘golden’ flowers for autumn I have been researching Dahlia, Chrysanthemums and begonias to buy in the near future.
  • I have cleared up the greenhouse after the late chrysanthemum plants were taken out of them soil. I plan to grow in pots next year leaving the greenhouse beds for more salad crops.
  • I audited the seed stock and augmented it with new mixes of lettuce, mizuna and poppies.
  • I moved to a frost shelter and renovated some of the many ornamental and standard pots around the house.
  • Lastly I am looking despondently at scaffolding all around the house and impinging on the garden for a reroofing exercise that should start tomorrow.

An unusual shade of bract on a Christmas poinsettia, The traditional red variety lasted until september 2019 but my effort to put it in the dark for this year was thwarted and the compost found a new resident.

An old favorite in its 4th year we still get colour on the heart shaped display.