Native Shrubs of Prince Edward Island
Mountain Ash (Sorbus spp.)

Description:
Two species of mountain ash are native to Prince Edward Island American and showy. Both are quite common and can grow to the size of a small tree. Small white flowers are borne in flat-topped clusters in May and early June. Clumps of berries turn orange in late August and September, often hanging on through most of the winter. Leaves are alternate and compound, with 11-17 leaflets. Leaflets of the American mountain ash are long and pointed, while those of the showy are more rounded at the base. Buds are dark, sticky and can be slightly hairy. Bark is smooth and grayish-brown.

Mountain ash (Sorbus spp.) leaf.

Growing Conditions:
A common sight along fencelines and windbreaks, mountain ash is also found along hillsides or forest clearings. It prefers full sunlight and rich, deep soil, but will grow under a variety of conditions. It will not tolerate flooding, but can stand some salt spray.

Mountain ash flower.

Propagation:
Gather berries in late September and remove pulpy flesh by hand. Each berry contains up to 10 tiny seeds. Plant in nursery beds and cover lightly with soil. Seeds will germinate the second spring and grow quite quickly. At Macphail Woods, our first year's growth averaged 16 inches (40 cm).

Wildlife Uses:
Berries are a preferred food source of ruffed grouse, gray catbird, American robin, eastern bluebird, European starling, cedar waxwing, common grackle, northern oriole, evening grosbeak and pine grosbeak. Crops are fairly regular and the ability to hang on throughout winter makes the berries excellent emergency food. See our Attracting Birds in Winter page for more information. Beaver eat the bark and snowshoe hare browse on winter twigs. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers drill larger specimens for sweet sap.

Mountain ash fruit.

Areas of Usage:
This is another shrub well-suited for use around the home, since it has attractive foliage, flowers and fruit and is a food source for many bird species. The leaves are poisonous, so this might be a consideration if there are young children present. The fruit can be eaten by humans and is rich in iron and Vitamin C. A few frosts improve the taste, but the berries are most often used in jellies. These shrubs can be used in group plantings or as individual specimens. Mountain ash are suitable along roadsides, in windbreaks,and especially around ponds and open streambanks. They are also useful when converting areas of old field white spruce to a mixed forest. The shrubs provide shade and protection for young trees, and attract wildlife to the area. Plant one or two in openings along with a mixture of other shrubs and trees.

From the Nursery:
The Macphail Woods operates a native tree and shrub nursery and offers many native trees and shrubs at affordable prices. Check out:

• Macphail Woods Nursery Catalogue
• Why Plant Native Shrubs?
• Growing Native Shrubs
• How to Plant Trees and Shrubs
• Tips on Transplanting



Mountain ash leaf and fruit.



Mountain ash winter twig.

This series of webpages is based on the booklet "Native Shrubs of Prince Edward Island Growing and using fifteen favorite shrubs for: wildlife enhancement, erosion control, windbreaks, landscapes and much more" written by Gary Schneider. If your interested in receiving a hardcopy of this booklet, please see our publications page.

We offer a number of workshops and guided tours at the Macphail Woods and it is an opportunity to learn more about PEI native shrubs. Check out the Events Calendar for more information. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.

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