Rowan or Mountain Ash

[kedigato]

This is looking very pretty in our garden at the moment -

[kedigato]

There are so many names that this tree is known under. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia -

Etymology and other names

The name "rowan" is derived from the Old Norse name for the tree, raun or rogn. Linguists believe that the Norse name is ultimately derived from a proto-Germanic word *raudnian meaning "getting red" and which referred to the red foliage and red berries in the autumn. Rowan is one of the most familiar wild trees in the British Isles, and has acquired numerous English folk names. The following are recorded folk names for the rowan: Delight of the eye (Luisliu), Mountain ash, Quickbane, Quickbeam, Quicken (tree), Quickenbeam, Ran tree, Roan tree, Roden-quicken, Roden-quicken-royan, Round wood, Round tree, Royne tree, Rune tree, Sorb apple, Thor's helper, Whispering tree, Whitty, Wicken-tree, Wiggin, Wiggy, Wiky, Witch wood, Witchbane, Witchen, Witchen tree. Many of these can be easily linked to the mythology and folklore surrounding the tree. In Gaelic, it is Rudha-an (red one, pronounced quite similarly to English "rowan").[4]

One particularly confusing name for rowans, used primarily in North America, is "mountain ash", which falsely implies that it is a species of ash (Fraxinus).[2] The name arises from the superficial similarity in leaf shape of the two trees; in fact, the rowan does not belong to the ash family, but is closely related to the apples and hawthorns in the rose family.

In the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador this species is commonly referred to as a "Dogberry" tree.


For anyone interested in reading more about this lovely tree, here is the link -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan

[DAG]

Oh, lovely tree, I do like the open and rather transparent look and I would like one in my garden but unfortunately it would be too large for my garden.

[Deleted]

Kedi,

Thank you for all the background information. It was very interesting ... I loved all the nicknames.

I think this is the tree I have growing in my backyard. It popped up on its own and anything that starts growing in my yard has found a safe haven. But the Rowan looks like the trees that are growing a few blocks over from my house. I will have to take a picture and compare.

Great pictures.... I love the tree against the light blue sky....

.j.

[kedigato]

Thanks for your nice comments, DAG and Jeannerené.

Dag, it doesn't get that big, and as you said, open, so it doesn't make the garden look overcrowded.

Jeannerené, ours appeared by itself too. I was quite disappointed when it turned out to be one with orange berries, the red berries being the ones I think the prettiest. It seems to be a darker orange than usual this year, and there are more berries than ever before. The birds will have a feast when they are completely ripe.

[jc]

Kedi, I keep missing things. This is a lovely pic :-)

[kedigato]

Thank you, jc. It is a lovely tree and worth having in every garden as they don't get that big.

[jc]

I have never seen it before - I realize I have no clue when it comes to plants. But this site has really helped a lot and given me ideas for the little bit of garden I have

[iska]

Have you ever tried to make liquor of its fruits? It tastes absolutely delicious.

[kedigato]

No, never tried that, Iska.

I do make liquor from elderberry, blackcurrants and our own grapes though.

Oh-oh, JC - I forgot to give you the recipe for the elderberry liquor

[DAG]

As my Lilly likes to stop regularly at this tree on her walk I thought I would take a snap of it as it is only at the end of my road.