Rowan tree: description and photo

Rowan is one of the most favorite and popular trees in our country. They plant it in parks and squares, along roads, in courtyards of high-rise buildings. And, of course, very often mountain ash is an important element of the landscape design of country houses. Such popularity of this plant is due primarily to the beautiful appearance, as well as the ability to grow on any soil and unpretentiousness.

What does the name "mountain ash" mean?

The word "mountain ash" is directly related to the other two - "bird" and "catch". This name has not been received by chance. The fact is that its bright fruits practically do not crumble and can hang on branches in the winter. And this, of course, attracts to the mountain ash a huge number of different birds.

general description

Sometimes Internet users ask the question: "Rowan is a shrub or a tree?" The answer to it is quite simple. Most often, the mountain ash is not too high (from 5 to 10 m) tree with a perfectly straight trunk and a dense egg-shaped crown. There are also shrub species. The bark of the trunk and branches of all varieties is distinguished by a grayish color and smoothness. The leaves of the mountain ash are oblong or oblong-lanceolate, odd-pinnate, regular. Their beautiful appearance is one of the reasons for the popularity of mountain ash as an ornamental plant. Young leaves are pubescent, old ones are not.

The blossom tree is pretty beautiful. Its flowers are collected in a panicle, can have a white color or with a slight pinkish tinge. However, the smell is not particularly pleasant. Rowanberry blossoms annually, but a good harvest can be obtained only once in about 3 years. This plant blooms either in late spring or early summer. Fruits begin to develop in September. Gradually they acquire a bright red or black color. The form of rowan fruits is rounded or apple-shaped. Of course, to the taste of the same cherry and grapes, they, of course, are inferior. However, in terms of usefulness, they can quite well argue with them.

The seeds of rowan have a crescent shape and a reddish tinge. Fruiting begins quite late - for the 5-7th year of planting. The most abundant harvests of the tree of mountain ash begin to give after about 30 years of growth. With one adult old plant, you can collect up to 100 kg of berries per year.

Rowan is widespread not only in our country, but also in Europe, as well as in North America and throughout Asia.

Rowan breeding methods

Ashberry is a tree that propagates as seedlings, as well as seeds, cuttings or root shoots. Most often, the first and last methods are used. Despite the fact that the tree is very unpretentious, when planting seedlings in the holes it is necessary to add manure and mineral fertilizers. In order for the root system to actively develop, the plant is cut off, leaving about 5 buds on it. Rowan seedlings are taken very easily, and this tree grows quite quickly. Plant this decorative plant best in the fall. Obtain seedlings usually by grafting the kidney or cuttings to the seedling.

Peculiarities of growing

As already mentioned, a rowan can feel quite good on any soils. Another of its remarkable features is frost resistance. This plant is capable of completely without harm to itself to bear the most severe winters. To high temperatures, the mountain ash tree is also very stable. Watering practically does not require and tolerates drought well. However, it is necessary to moisten the soil under it in the summer from time to time. Another advantage of this plant is wind resistance. The root system is well developed. Very good rowan also suffers from gas contamination of city streets.

Decorative value of mountain ash

The answer to the question whether the mountain ash is a shrub or a tree is given above. Both types are often used for decorative purposes. The popularity of this tree, as a plant used in landscape design, can be explained by many reasons. First of all, this is, of course, the beauty of the crown itself, which is characterized by its compactness and density. In particular, the weeping varieties of this plant are valued.

In addition, the leaves of the rowan trees, which have an unusual shape and acquire orange-reddish hues in autumn, have decorative value. Another reason for its popularity in this regard are bright berries, which cover the crown in large quantities and retain their appeal until late winter.

Kinds of mountain ash

The genus of mountain ash has more than forty varieties. However, not all of them are widespread. In the gardens and parks you can find both red-barked and black-berry, isolated in a separate species, rowan. The healing properties are the fruits of both colors. The greatest abundance in the quality of ornamental plants was a tree of mountain ash. All varieties of this plant belong to the family of deciduous deciduous trees and are classified into two main subspecies, differing in form of leaves.

Very seriously selection of mountain ash was occupied by the famous Russian scientist of the last century IV Michurin. Several new hybrids of this remarkable plant were introduced to them. In his laboratory, and received a variety such as chokeberry - a tree that looks like a mountain ash ordinary, but in fact it is not. This plant is a hybrid, called aronia.

The most famous ashberry hybrids

Hybrids of this plant can be created in a mixture with many others. For example, one of the most famous is the variety Krotogorzobuz. This is a very interesting hybrid of mountain ash and hawthorn. Malosorbus is another common mixture. It is a hybrid of mountain ash and apple. Sorbapirus is a mixture with a pear, characterized by dark ribbed, very tasty, sweet-sour fruits. Another interesting variety is Amelorzobus, which is a mixture of ashberry and irgi.

Medicinal properties of fruits

Ashberry is a tree, the fruits of which are used, among other things, for improving the body. Our ancestors knew about the healing properties of these berries. The rowan fruit contains just a huge amount of vitamins (C, E, P, K). In addition, fructose, glucose, sorbic acid and carotene are present in the juice and flesh of the berries of the plant. There are many in them and also tannins.

Take decoctions of berries of mountain ash is recommended for such diseases as atherosclerosis and hypertension. Drink them also for violations of the kidneys, liver and heart. Good juice helps the mountain ash and with hemorrhoids, gastritis and reduced acidity. Sorbic acid is harmful for staphylococcus and dysentery bacillus. Therefore rowan berries are often used as food preservatives or for water purification. Our ancestors also knew that if you throw a branch of mountain ash in a bucket of water, it will get a pleasant taste, and it will not spoil for a long time.

Rowan - a tree, the photo of which you can see on this page, has one more interesting property. His berries are able to alleviate the condition of the patient with oxygen starvation. Our ancestors used the juice and decoctions of the fruit of this tree for the treatment of the burned as a result of a malfunctioning furnace. In addition, the juice of mountain ash berries increases blood coagulability and reduces the cholesterol content in it. It also has choleretic and diuretic properties.

Panicles of this plant, as already mentioned, have a white color. Rowan (for a tree, or rather, its flowers, sometimes characteristic of pink color) is valued not only for the medicinal properties of the fruit. For medical purposes, flowers of this plant of both colors are used. For example, they are very good at helping women with various kinds of ailments and coughing.

What diseases are used berries

The tree of red mountain ash gives fruit, used as a medicine for the following ailments:

• Sclerosis and cardiosclerosis;
• Hemorrhoids;
• Goiter;
• Heavy menstruation (to increase hemoglobin in the blood);
• As a contraceptive.

Of course, there are rowan and contraindications. Do not take drugs based on her fetuses with increased blood clotting and thrombosis. Also, it is not recommended to use such medicines for gastritis with high acidity, ulcer of the stomach or duodenum.

Rowan in the cosmetics

Ashberry is a tree, the fruits of which were used for cosmetic purposes even in ancient Greece. Infusions of berries were used for washing, as a conditioner for hair, like bathtubs for hands, etc. Modern cosmetologists advise to use for the improvement of skin of the face a gruel, prepared from the pulp of berries. For aging oily skin as a rejuvenating agent, you can apply a mask of juice of berries mixed with whipped egg whites into a steep foam.

Rowan (a tree whose photo is given just below), or rather its fruits, are often used for weight loss. To do this, you just need to brew berries like tea (a glass of boiling water 20 pieces). You can also prepare a decoction of pounded fruits, mixed with thin twigs. Since ashberry binds carbohydrates in the body, even a sweet remedy for her berries can be cooked for losing weight. For this per kilogram of fruit take a pound of sugar. Take this jam one tablespoon per day.

Rowan's ritual value

Once upon a time, in a pre-Christian Russia, the tree of red mountain ash had a sacral ritual meaning as well. For example, in the Central regions it was used during wedding ceremonies. Her leaves were forgiven by the shoes of the newlyweds, and the berries were put into their pockets. This was done in order to protect the future family from the machinations of sorcerers and witches. With the same purpose planted a mountain ash and next to the house. Until now, this tree is considered a symbol of family happiness. In the Middle Ages in Russia, mountain ash was used to expel the spirits of the disease. Patients were cured for treatment on its branches.

The tree of mountain ash, the description of which is given above, is a plant, of which various legends are composed. For example, there is a very interesting tradition that explains the bitterness of its fruits. In ancient times it was believed that this tree was created by Satan himself from the tears of Eve, spilled by her when she was expelled from paradise. He did this as a sign of his triumph over humanity. However, the Creator, seeing that the leaves of this tree resemble a cross, took him from the garden of the devil. Of course, Satan did not like this, and he tried for a long time to steal and destroy the mountain ash. However, all that he did was to make her berries bitter. But at the same time, a divine sign appeared on them - a five-pointed stigma in the form of a Bethlehem star. Until now, this "mark" on the fruits of mountain ash is considered a symbol of the imminent second coming.

This legendary tree was composed not only of legends, but also of poetry and proverbs. By the way, not only in antiquity. Yevgeny Rodygin's songs "Oy, Rowanberry Rowan" and Irina Ponarovskaya "Rowan beads", we think, are well known to everyone in our country.

Folk features associated with rowan

There are several signs associated with this tree:

• If the tree is ashberry, the description of which is given above, in the spring everything is covered with white or pinkish panicles, this means that oats and flax will be harvested this year.
• A high crop of wild species in the forest foreshadows a rainy autumn, a low - respectively, dry.
• If the leaves in the mountain ash have turned yellow very early, then autumn will be early, and winter is cold.

Procurement of mountain ash

The answer to the question of whether mountain ash is a shrub or tree, you now know. However, whatever the variety of this plant, it is possible to collect its fruits, from the moment of maturation to the late frost. It is most convenient to cut the brush with a sharp knife or pruner. Already on the ground they are cleared of peduncles and all sorts of debris.

Dried berries in the oven at a temperature of about 70 degrees. You can do this also in the open air, of course, not in rainy weather. Rowan berries retain their healing properties for two years. In winter, they can be brewed as a tea or grind in a coffee grinder and add as a seasoning in various dishes. Of black chokeberry, in addition, jams are cooked, and a very delicious marmalade is made from red wine.

The rowan tree in autumn is unusually beautiful because of the bright red or red-orange berries. However, its fruits are not too pleasant bitterish taste. But after the first frosts, it disappears. Therefore, it is best to collect the fruits of this tree in late October or early November. Bitterness in berries is caused by a special substance amygdalin. By the way, it will be said that it can not be considered safe. In the stomach, it decomposes to hydrocyanic acid. Therefore, there are too many bitter berries rowan is not recommended.

Interesting Facts

The healing and decorative properties are not the only virtues of this wonderful tree. Of wood, mountain ash makes very high quality joinery. Its distinctive properties are hardness and elasticity. In ancient times, mainly spinning wheels and spindles were made from this wood. In addition, rowan can serve as a mother plant for other members of its family, for example, pears and quinces.

One of the most interesting varieties of mountain ash is large-billed (Sorbus domestica). It was bred in Crimea by the Crimean Tatars. The fruits of this variety may be pear-shaped or round. At the same time they reach a diameter of about 3.5 cm and a weight of 20 g. Taste qualities they are just wonderful. However, this variety requires shelter for the winter and is far from as unpretentious as ordinary varieties. In some regions it is considered that mountain ash is a widow's tree. If it is cut down, there will be a dead person in the house.

At the beginning of the XX century, rowan was used to prepare tinctures on an industrial scale. They made them from the fruits of the unfaithful variety. However, the tincture "Nezhinskaya" was called. Why its manufacturers have chosen this name is still unknown. It was believed that this was done in order to confuse the competitors. There was also an opinion that this title was given to the tincture because the "non-feminine" sounded more pleasant than the "unlearned" one. By the way, it was in the village of Nevezhino in the Vladimir region that varieties of mountain ash with sweet fruits without bitterness were first discovered. Subsequently, they spread throughout Russia.

A beautiful photo of a mountain ash tree you can see a little higher. In the people its fruits are called berries. However, from the biological point of view, they are nothing but apples. The presence in them of a rare vitamin P puts mountain ash on one of the first places among all medicinal plants. It is his presence in the juice that explains the ability of the fruits of this tree to eliminate irritability, insomnia and general weakness of the body.

Well, hopefully, we gave a fairly detailed description of such an interesting tree, as ashberry. High decorative qualities and unpretentiousness make it more than expedient to use it as an ornament of the yards of private houses and cottages, as well as city streets.