Sorbus intermedia

Plant Characteristics

Habit		tree
Height:	⇕	20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20. to 30 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 30.
Width:	⇔	20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial
Bloom:	❀	early spring, mid spring, late spring

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun
Features:	✓	flowers
USDA Zones:		5 to 9

Scientific Names

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Sorbus intermedia (Swedish Whitebeam) is a species of whitebeam in southern Sweden, with scattered occurrences in easternmost Denmark (Bornholm), the far southwest of Finland), the Baltic States, and northern Poland.

It is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 10–20 m tall with a stout trunk up to 60 cm diameter and grey bark; the crown is dome-shaped, with stout horizontal branches. The leaves are green above, and densely hairy with pale grey-white hairs beneath, 7–12 cm long and 5–7 cm broad, with four to seven oval lobes on each side of the leaf, broadest near the middle, rounded at the apex, and finely serrated margins. The autumn colour is dull yellowish to grey-brown. The flowers are 15–20 mm diameter, with five white petals and 20 yellowish-white stamens; they are produced in corymbs 8–12 cm diameter in late spring. The fruit is an oval pome 15 mm long and 10 mm diameter, orange-red to red, maturing in mid autumn. The fruit is dryish, and eaten by thrushes and waxwings, which disperse the seeds.

Sorbus intermedia is a triploid hybrid between S. aucuparia, S. torminalis, and either S. aria or one of its close relatives. It is closely related to Sorbus hybrida (Finnish Whitebeam), another species of hybrid origin, which differs in having the leaves more deeply lobed, with the basal two pairs cut right to the midrib as separate leaflets. Both are tetraploid apomictic species which breed true without pollination.

It is widely grown as an ornamental tree in northern Europe, valued for its tolerance of urban street conditions; it is very commonly used in avenues and urban parks. It is frequently naturalised in the British Isles. In recent years, much new planting of "Swedish Whitebeam" has actually been of the related Sorbus mougeotii (Vosges Whitebeam), another apomictic species from further south in Europe that has more erect branching, less deeply lobed leaves with whiter undersides to the leaves, and darker red fruit.

Read about Sorbus intermedia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Sorbus intermedia, Pers. (Pyrus intermedia, Ehrh. Sorbus scandica, Fries. Aria suecica, Koehne. Hahnia suecica, Dipp.). Tree, 20-40 ft. high, with oval head: lvs. ovate to oblong-ovate, broadly cuneate at the base, pinnately lobed with broad and short, irregularly serrate lobes and 5-8 pairs of veins, whitish tomentose beneath, 2 1/2- 4 in. long; petioles 1/2 – 3/4 in. long: fls. about 1/2 in. across, in broad, tomentose corymbs: fr. orange-red, globose or subglobose, about 1/2 in. high. May. N. and Cent. Eu.—This is sometimes confounded with S. hybrida and considered to be a hybrid of similar origin, but it is certainly a good species. It never bears distinct lfts. at the base and the sinuses do not reach farther than one-third toward the middle. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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