Rowan Trees
If you love watching the wildlife in your garden, a rowan tree is a must. With clouds of blossom in spring for the bees and brightly coloured berries for hungry birds, it’s second only to the English Oak in the number of species it supports, and takes up much less space. Raised by experts in the field (literally), our UK grown rowans are fully hardy and will brighten up your garden for decades. They’re also pollution tolerant and were reputed in folklore to repel evil, so whether there’s black magic or carbon monoxide in the neighbourhood, rowan trees have you covered!
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South Downs National Park
Meet John
110 years' expertise free with every tree
John’s family have been growing trees in the South Downs National Park for over a century, and it shows. Dug up and sent straight to your garden at between 18-36 months old, their quality rootstocks, expert pruning and natural pest control mean that these traditionally field-grown trees are the hardiest you can get.
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Rowan Tree FAQs
Where do rowan trees grow?
Natively, rowans are found across the UK (particularly the north of England and Scotland), Europe and China. They favour cooler climates and high altitudes, which gave rise to the common name ‘Mountain Ash’.
How fast do rowan trees grow?
Rowan is a fast growing pioneer tree, meaning that its seeds, distributed by birds, grow quickly to colonise open ground. It grows about 20-40cm per year.
Are rowan trees evergreen?
Rowan trees are not evergreen - they lose their leaves in winter and grow fresh foliage each spring.
When do rowan berries appear?
Rowan berries appear shortly after flowering in late spring, grow over the summer and then ripen in late summer/early autumn.
Are mountain ash berries poisonous?
Rowan berries are not technically poisonous (and certainly not for birds, who gobble them down by the bucket load), but they can cause stomach ache and diarrhoea for humans when eaten raw. When cooked, they can be made into jams.
What does a rowan tree look like?
Rowan trees grow into the traditional, picture book tree shape - rounded and compact. The leaves are interesting, with five to eight pairs of serrated leaflets down each side and a final leaflet on the end giving a feathered look. They’re green through spring and summer, before turning orange in autumn. In the autumn and winter, rowan trees are coated in bright, usually red, berries.
How big do rowan trees grow?
A mature rowan can grow upwards of 15m tall in the wild, but they can be pruned to fit any size of garden and thrive as compact trees at 4-8m.
Can rowan trees be grown in pots?
Rowan trees aren’t the best species to grow in pots as they naturally grow to a large size. They are, however, quite tolerant, so you can give pot-growing a go. Just make sure to feed and water your tree regularly, repot to a larger container every few years and prune the tree to maintain a manageable height.
How long do rowan trees live?
In favourable conditions, a rowan tree can live up to 200 years.
How do you take care of a rowan tree?
Rowans are a low maintenance tree - once they’re settled in, they only need a bit of watering in very dry weather and a bit of mulch round the base once a year. New shoots may appear around the base - you can cut these off if you wish to keep a single stemmed tree. Over winter you can prune off any dead or damaged stems.
Where is the rowan tree native to?
Rowan is native to the UK and other cooler countries in the northern hemisphere.
