Choose mountain ash by group first: a pinnate mountain ash, a whitebeam, a Korean or Asian kind, or a wild service tree. The catalog plants sit in those groups.
Choose a mountain ash, a whitebeam, a Korean kind, or a wild service tree first
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Pinnate mountain ash | American native, or European if it is not listed invasive | Do not plant European rowan where it is listed |
| Whitebeam | Simple leaves white beneath; lime is fine | Do not expect pinnate ash-like leaves |
| Korean / Asian | Korean for simple leaves and a tougher landscape tree; Pink Pagoda or Kashmir for fruit color | Do not call Korean a whitebeam |
| Wild service | Maple-like leaves; dry spells once set | Do not call it a serviceberry |
Know your USDA hardiness zone before you pick a type of sorbus that will take your winter. Type your ZIP below.
2023 USDA ZIP listings (PRISM / USDA-ARS). Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone · Official USDA map.
Read the species on the tag. These trees share cool sun; they do not share one outline. [1] [2] [3] [4] Pinnate mountain ash is the classic rowan. Whitebeam is the white-backed simple leaf. Korean mountain ash is the simple-leaved Asian landscape tree. Wild service is the maple-like one. Once you know the kind, site it on How to Grow Mountain Ash.
Which kind of mountain ash should I plant?
Start with American mountain ash if you want the native pinnate tree. Pick whitebeam for white-backed leaves, Korean for a tougher simple-leaved landscape tree, or wild service for the maple-like outline.
Is Korean mountain ash a whitebeam?
No. Korean mountain ash has simple leaves, but it is the Asian landscape class. Whitebeam is Sorbus aria and its close kin, with a white felted underside.
Browse by kind
Pinnate mountain ash
American mountain ash is the eastern native with pinnate leaves and orange-red fruit. European mountain ash is the European rowan — same outline, not a second genus. Joseph Rock is a yellow-fruit pinnate selection.
Whitebeam
Lutescens is common whitebeam, with simple leaves that are white underneath. Swedish whitebeam and John Mitchell sit in the same class. They take lime better than the acid mountain ashes.
Korean and Asian kinds
Korean mountain ash has simple leaves, not pinnate ones, and is often the better landscape pick. Pink Pagoda is the pink-fruit Chinese kind. Kashmir rowan holds white fruit.
Wild service tree
wild service tree is Sorbus torminalis, also called chequer tree. Maple-like leaves. It is not serviceberry.
Culture stays the same cool sun and drain. Pick by leaf and fruit, not by a shop list of extra names. Cardinal Royal, Redbird, and Skyline are extra shop names, not extra genera.
If the tag says mountain ash, read the Latin — pick the group before you dig.
FAQ
Is rowan a different plant?
No. Rowan is another name for mountain ash, especially the European kind. It is still Sorbus.
Is Lutescens a mountain ash?
Lutescens is whitebeam, listed with the whitebeam group. It still wants the same cool sun and drain.
Do you list Cardinal Royal?
Cardinal Royal is an extra European shop name. We do not list it as a card. Treat it as pinnate mountain ash.
Related guides
References
- [1] The Morton Arboretum -
https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/korean-mountain-ash/ - [2] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sorbus-alnifolia/ - [3] Oregon State University Landscape Plants -
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/sorbus-aria - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sorbus-americana/
This note is part of Sorbus Guides.
More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors