Rowan
General characteristics of a Rowan
Common or wild rowanberry is a fairly small tree that usually does not grow taller than 8 to 12 feet. The tree is easily recognized by the corymbs of white flowers in the early summer and the orange to fire-red berry-shaped fruits in late summer and fall.
The tree is called rowan because thrushes and other birds love the berries. In fact, the plant provides a good food supply for birds because of the long period of berries. Furthermore, the flowers in summer attract many insects and especially many wasps, which are on the menu of many finches. Moreover, the rowan tree is a very suitable place for birds to nest because of its dense tree structure.
The species designation aucuparia comes from the Latin word aucupor (bird catching). In fact, many birds were caught near that type of tree.
Characteristics
How to plant a Rowan
Roots at least 10 cm below ground; with taproot can be 50 cm deep
How to harvest a Rowan
Carefully dig out seedlings. These can be found near the mother tree.
Caring for and pruning your Rowan
Major pruning should be done before the leaves sprout again, in the winter months: December-January-February. Light pruning can also be done immediately after flowering.
Especially in the first two years, the wild rowan needs extra water in dry periods. In extreme and long heat waves with drought, it is wise to water heavily every now and then in the evening.
Where does a Rowan grow
Wild rowan is found mainly in light deciduous forests, at forest edges and in wood edges on dry but moist to moderately moist, almost always acidic soils with a rather poorly decomposing litter layer. It is a relatively small tree with a large ecological range, which can thrive on almost any soil type, with the exception of strongly clayey or calcareous soils. The species is most commonly found in nutrient-poor conditions. High groundwater levels do not tolerate it too well.
General
| Origin |
Native
|
| Tree Type | Deciduous tree |
Length and Age
| Length in about 10 years | 5 Up to 6 Meter |
| Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years | 0 Up to 50 year |
| Maximum Age | 50 Up to 80 year |
| Required Space | Up to m2 |
| Growth Rate |
Reproduction
| Tree is Self-Pollinating | Yes |
| Reproduction Method |
Makes seedlings
|
| Reproduction rate |
|
Reproduction rate
| 1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds). |
| 2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required |
| 3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion). |
| 4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces |
| 5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed). |
Pruning Period
| This Tree is Evergreen | Yes |
| Summer | June tot July |
| Winter | December tot February |
| Leaf Shapes | Oval |
| Easy to prune | No |
Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)
| Lenticels | Yes |
| Colour |
Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)
| Colour | |
| Bud Position | Information not available |
| Bud Shape |
Egg-shaped
|
Other
| Root |
Deeply rooted
|
| Bloom |
Has flowers
Has fruits
|
| Wind sensitivity | Not sensitive to (sea) wind |
Diseases
| Sensitive to the Following Diseases |
Fire blight
|
Harvest/recognition in winter
Light bark with characteristic reddish roots near parent trees; and black 'bud' tuffs
Light requirement of the Rowan
Suitable soil types for the Rowan
| Soil type | Suitability |
|---|---|
| light clay |
|
| heavy clay |
|
| sand |
|
| peatland |
|
| Loam |
|
| Moerig op zand |
|
| Lichte zavel |
|
| Zware zavel |
|
Humidity
Suitable acidity level for the Rowan
Nutritional needs of the Rowan
| 1. | Very nutrient-poor soil |
| 2. | Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil |
| 3. | Nutrient-poor soil |
| 4. | Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil |
| 5. | Moderately nutrient-rich soil |
| 6. | Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil |
| 7. | Nutrient-rich soil |
| 8. | Extremely nutrient-rich soil |
| 9. | Very extremely nutrient-rich soil |
Humidity
| 1. | Extremely dry soils |
| 2. | Extremely dry to dry soils |
| 3. | Dry soils |
| 4. | Dry to dry/moist soils |
| 5. | Dry/moist soils |
| 6. | Dry/moist to moist soils |
| 7. | Moist soils |
| 8. | Moist to wet soils |
| 9. | Wet soils |
To be applied in landscapes
| Landscape | Suitability |
|---|---|
| Agroforestry |
|
| Hedge |
|
| Hedge |
|
| Forest |
|
| Feeding hedge |
|
| Back yard |
|
| Small back yard |
|
| Solitary |
|
| Wood wall |
|
Cultural-historical value
Insects
| How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? | 43 |
| Which insect groups live on this tree/plant? |
Bees
Beetles
Wasps
Common green bottle flies
|
| Are there insects dependent on this species? | No |
| Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant? |
Birds
| Average number of birds per tree/plant? | |
| Which bird groups live on this tree/plant? |
Eurasian chaffinches
thrushes
common starlings
|
Mammals
| Average number of mammals per tree/plant? | |
| Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant? |
|
| Are there mammals dependent on this species? | No |
| Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant? |
Bloom Period
| Summer | May Up to June |
Tree Species
| Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with |
|
Suitable for mammals?
| Mammal | Suitability |
|---|---|
| Badgers |
|
| Squirrel |
|
| Ferret |
|
| Goat |
|
| Herbivorous rodents |
|
| Deer |
|
| Dog |
|
| Cat |
|
| Chicken |
|
| Cow |
|
| Human |
|
| Mouse |
|
| Horse |
|
| Roe deer |
|
| Sheep |
|
| Pig |
|
| Foxes |
|
| Wild boar |
|
| Beavers |
|
Explanation
Explanation
Edibility
- Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
- Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
- Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
- Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
- Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
- Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.
Trunk Height
Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree
Information not available
Trunk Diameter
(dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.
Information not available
Aboveground Biomass
in whole kgInformation not available
Belowground Biomass
in whole kgInformation not available
Substance Binder
| Which substances can be bound or absorbed? |
CO2
Particulate matter
|
Carbon Attraction (kf)
| (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree | Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48) |
Warming Resistance
| This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). | Yes |
CO2
| 0. | not filled in |
| 1. | no storage |
| 2. | low storage |
| 3. | moderate storage |
| 4. | high storage |
| 5. | very high storage |
Fine Dust
| 0. | not filled in |
| 1. | no capture capacity |
| 2. | low capture capacity |
| 3. | moderate capture capacity |
| 4. | high capture capacity |
| 5. | very high capture capacity |
This is what an adult tree Rowan looks like
This is what the fruits of a Rowan look like
This is what a Rowan in bloom looks like
This is what the bud of a Rowan looks like
This is what the leaf of a Rowan looks like
