Rowan - relative or garden selection?

[Paul mabbott]

Any comments on this tree which looks very much like a rowan but flowers 3x normal sizee and leaves with more leaflets and shinier/darker green? One of several along with true rowans, hawthorn, whitebeam ... a general mess of planted Rosaceae! Is it a selected rowan or a related Sorbus?

[Paul mabbott]

While we're onto obscure trees. Any idea what this one is - from a park, Jesmond, Newcastle earlier in the month.

[Tiggrx]

Not sure on the Sorbus, but the second looks like some sort of Pear (Pyrus)

[almostnormal]

first one is a Sorbus i think, might be japenese (commixta) or hupeh (hupehensis), both park trees with slightly larger flowers, you'd have to go back in autumn and see what colour the leaves / fruits are..commixta goes purple then red and has red berries, hupehensis goes red and has whitey-pink berries.

second one i'm not sure about...it definitely looks like a pear, and if so i think its probably pyrus communis, but without a shot of the bark/fruit/flowers or any idea of crown shape its a bit difficult.

not massively helpful i know

[Paul mabbott]

Thanks. Quite helpful actually because I can easily check the Sorbus in the autumn.

I must admit that I hadn't considered Pyrus sp. The bark was quite cherry-like: fairly dark with circumferential splits here and there. Wouldn't like to say much about the crown shape - somewhat pointy but this tree was growing amongst several others on a fairly steep slope (everything was taller than one might expect) in the partial shade of mature beech and pine!

I'll probably get a chance to check it in the autumn!

Originally Posted by almostnormal

first one is a Sorbus i think, might be japenese (commixta) or hupeh (hupehensis), both park trees with slightly larger flowers, you'd have to go back in autumn and see what colour the leaves / fruits are..commixta goes purple then red and has red berries, hupehensis goes red and has whitey-pink berries.

second one i'm not sure about...it definitely looks like a pear, and if so i think its probably pyrus communis, but without a shot of the bark/fruit/flowers or any idea of crown shape its a bit difficult.

not massively helpful i know

[almostnormal]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Thanks. Quite helpful actually because I can easily check the Sorbus in the autumn.

I must admit that I hadn't considered Pyrus sp. The bark was quite cherry-like: fairly dark with circumferential splits here and there. Wouldn't like to say much about the crown shape - somewhat pointy but this tree was growing amongst several others on a fairly steep slope (everything was taller than one might expect) in the partial shade of mature beech and pine!

I'll probably get a chance to check it in the autumn!

excellent...post some pics of the sorbus with its fruits and autumn leaves and i might be able to narrow it down to one species

pyrus communis has dark brown/blackish bark which cracks into small squares...so now i'm not sure... but if its a young tree might not have got to the cracked stage yet. it looks about right in the blurry twigs!

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by almostnormal

excellent...post some pics of the sorbus with its fruits and autumn leaves and i might be able to narrow it down to one species

pyrus communis has dark brown/blackish bark which cracks into small squares...so now i'm not sure... but if its a young tree might not have got to the cracked stage yet. it looks about right in the blurry twigs!

Wilko.

You could always nip in to Newcastle to check on the other one yourself! The tree didn't look really 'young', I think the trunk would have been considerable over 10 cms diam.. There were several other stems nearby - had wondered whether they were multiple plants or whether the smaller ones were suckers of this one?

Should have got more information but I was more interested in a mature hornbeam nearby. Wouldn't expect to see one of those so assume that was planted ....

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Wilko.

You could always nip in to Newcastle to check on the other one yourself! The tree didn't look really 'young', I think the trunk would have been considerable over 10 cms diam.. There were several other stems nearby - had wondered whether they were multiple plants or whether the smaller ones were suckers of this one?

Should have got more information but I was more interested in a mature hornbeam nearby. Wouldn't expect to see one of those so assume that was planted ....

As it is in a park, have you considered contacting the Council's Parks department? In my experience, many tree officers and others who work with the parks are well aware of the tree collections in the parks and keen to help others see the collection from a position of knowledge.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

As it is in a park, have you considered contacting the Council's Parks department? In my experience, many tree officers and others who work with the parks are well aware of the tree collections in the parks and keen to help others see the collection from a position of knowledge.

Good thinking - may try that as a last resort .... or in the winter when I've nothing to do (some chance!). Nothing to stop me taking my flower/tree keys on a walk with me and trying it in situ!