Sorbus aucuparia

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iRowan
Mountain Ash growing on flanks of a mountain in North Wales
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Maloideae Genus: Sorbus Subgenus: Sorbus Species: Sorbus aucuparia

'Sorbus aucuparia' also known as Rowan or Mountain Ash is a small to medium tree, growing up to 20m but often smaller especially in exposed locations. It is commonly found in temperate European countries from Iceland to Russia and south to Spain, Portugal and Russia. It is very tolerant of cold and is often found at high altitude on mountains, hence its common name of Mountain Ash. In the UK it occurs at higher altitudes than any other tree. It is a tree of western areas enjoying thin acid soils and is rarely, if ever, found on limestone or soft clays.

It is unusual amongst Sorbus spp in having pinnate leaves in 5 to 9 pairs suggesting a source for the name Mountain ash since the leaves somewhat resemble the leaves of Fraxinus excelsior