#mountain-ash

[weirdchristmas]

Gathering these buds always felt like a technological marvel, defying all known horticultural principles.

[raatopaikka]

(2025)

[dreamlessspring]

[midomon]

Drawtober day 6

Rowan berry thief

[weirdchristmas]

Some prophecies are less about the end times and more about a really good charcuterie board.

[drhoz]

#2652 - Sorbus aucuparia - European Mountain-Ash

Originally described as Pyrus aucuparia, and AKA rowan, Amur mountain-ash, quickbeam, or rowan-berry. Unrelated to the True Ashs (Fraxinus) which are in a different family.

A highly variable tree found from Iceland to Northern China, but oddly enough not Japan - unusual compared to plants with similar spread, especially if they have seeds that can be dispersed by birds. In fact, 'Sorbus' means 'service tree', and refers to the use of the fruit in birdbaiting. Humans find the fresh fruit unpleasant, but it can be debittered to remove the parasorbic acid and turned into chutneys, compotes, jams, syrups, and the like. Since the plant grows well in harsh cold mountain climates, they were widely grown in such areas as a valuable fruit. Additionally, the leaves could be fermented with leaves of sweet gale and oak bark to create herb beer.

The wood is used by cartwrights, turners and woodcarvers, and planted in mountain ranges to fortify landslide and avalanche zones. They are also planted as ornamentals, with numerous cultivars and hybrids. Bark was used to dye wool brown or red, and mountain-ash honey is strongly aromatic and has a reddish color.

In English and Scottish folklore, used to ward off evil and in dowsing rods.

The original source of the sugar substitute sorbitol.

Introduced to many other parts of the world, and now naturalised in much of North America

Lake Tekapo, Aotearoa New Zealand

[kurabokko]

[andziarobizdjecia]