Sorbus — a tree widespread in Eastern Europe and Asia. The berries of the most common species of this tree in our area are not valued because of their bitterness, but the tree itself grows everywhere, besides rowan wood also finds its use.
Interesting facts about mountain ash
- The bitter berries of the common mountain ash lose their bitterness after the first frost. A freezer, by the way, is also suitable.
- The berries of large-fruited mountain ash, which also grows in the Crimea, weigh up to 20 grams and have a pleasant sweet taste.
- Black mountain ash, the so-called «chokeberry», from the point of view of botany, is not a mountain ash.
- The warmer the climate, the greater the height that mountain ash can reach. In warm conditions, mountain ash grows up to 15 meters, and in cold and harsh conditions it rarely reaches at least one meter.
- Mountain ash can grow even in permafrost. This is one of the few trees that can adapt so well to the environment (interesting facts about trees).
- The structure of the rowan berry is similar to the structure of an apple.
- Rowan berries contain a lot of acid, which is a natural antiseptic.
- Rose, wild rose and mountain ash — related plants belonging to the same family.
- Fresh bitter rowan berries are poisonous, they may well kill even an adult if eaten.
- A rowan at least 20 years old can bring up to hundreds of kilograms of berries annually.
- Sorbus wood is used in many different products. They even make furniture out of it.
- Traditional Slavic recipes for making compotes, jams, jelly and other things from mountain ash are still quite relevant.