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American Mountain Ash (Sorbus Americana)

American Mountain ash; branch with berries | Stillwater, MN| View Enlarged Image

The seeds of the American Mountain Ash need two things to grow; damp soil and plenty of shade. If you live near a swamp, hillside, or older forest in the Twin Cities area, chances are there's an American Mountain Ash nearby. These trees form a beneficial link in the ecosystem. American Mountain Ash are a native species, and very useful and productive. Not a single part of them goes unused.

Their branches provide an understory beneath forest canopies, a nesting haven where birds can get away from rain, hail, and the heat of the summer sun, as well as the sharp eyes of raptors and other predators. The Mountain Ash doesn't stop with protection - it's also a bounty of food. Its sap is a staple of the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker's diet; rabbit and beaver will eat its bark; its white bundled of flowers attract insects; and many birds and mammals will forage on its berries. Even its roots serve to retain moisture for ferns, moss, and fungus that play and important role in recycling nutrients in the soil.

The American Mountain Ash shares a symbiotic relationship with the birds and mammals that eat its berries. It provides them with a food source, and they provide it with a way of propagating its seeds. If a deer were to eat a cluster of berries, it would digest the flesh and juices of the fruit, but the hard seeds would be shuttled through the stomach, into the intestine, and excreted in the form of droppings. This is great for the tree. Not only will the host tree not have to compete with its saplings for root space, soil nutriets, and sunlight; this method of it also allows the species to spread itself over a wider radius then simply dropping its seeds.

Some American Mountain Ash facts:

• Settlers used American Mountain Ash berries in jams, pies and even wine. Borealforest.org reports that their berries are edible by humans, but too acidic to be eaten raw, though, so be careful and be sure to read up (and make sure you have your identification right) before you try to consume any wild plant.
• Their colorful berries and fall foliage make American Mountain Ash a popular subject for bonsai. We don't reccomend doing this unless you really know what you're doing, though, as these trees have very special requirements.
• American Mountain Ash are native Minnesotan trees. They are wonderful decorative plants with leaves (and berries) that turn very bright shades of orange in the fall, and make a wonderful, beneficial addition to any lawn or garden. What's more, you'll be sure to draw a variety of birds and mammals. Just make sure their soil remains moist (but not waterlogged), and that they have plenty of shade.

Multimedia:

American Mountain Ash; blossom | Stillwater, MN	American Mountain Ash ; unripened berries| Stillwater, MN	American Mountain Ash ; ripe berries | Stillwater, MN
American Mountain Ash; bark| Stillwater, MN

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*Submissions are full and credited property of their original owner. The name of the sender will be printed below the submission unless otherwise requested. BMS maintains one-time printing rights only. For legal reasons, all video and photography must be your own work. If there is a copyright on it, you must own it. Video, photos, and writing must have been created in Minnesota or surrounding area to be added to our database.