Ash in Fashion
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| Photo Credit: Lane Greer |
| For something different, try ‘Brilliant Pink’ – it’s the new orange. |
When it comes to fashion, what’s hot and what’s not changes more often than the seasons. Fortunately, plants don’t go in and out of style as quickly as clothing, but they do change their accessories on a seasonal basis. No matter what’s in or out, mountain ash is one plant that’s always chic because it knows how to accessorize – especially in fall with its bright orange fruits.
If you’re not familiar with mountain ash, you’re among friends. They aren’t seen that often. As a matter of fact, when I asked some acquaintances what they thought mountain ash was, they said: a tree, volcanic dust and a euphemistic term for something you wouldn’t eat if you knew what it really was. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Lane Greer | | This is one tree that knows how to accessorize with its clusters of bright orange fall fruits! |
Sometimes called rowan, mountain ash (Sorbus acuparia) has gorgeous orange fruits that are anything but ashen. The tree’s name gives you an idea of where the trees thrive – in cool climates where summer nights aren’t too warm. Mountain ash is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-6, but it also thrives in Portland, OR, and other areas that are technically Zone 8. Heat Zones play a part in this – Portland is in American Horticultural Society Plant Heat Zone 4, which means that temperatures go above 86 degrees F for about two to four weeks during summer on average. The Heat Zone designation also means that temperatures cool off every night, giving mountain ash its preferred growing conditions.
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| Facts |
- Looking for native plants? Mountain ash hails from Europe, but there’s an American version (Sorbus americana) that’s native to the Northeast. American mountain ash grows best in the same conditions as the European version, but it produces beautiful red fruits.
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| Tips |
- Plant mountain ash with other trees with fall interest, like American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica). They turn shades of yellow, red and purple in fall and grow well in the Pacific Northwest.
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| Definitions |
- American Horticultural Society Plant Heat Zone: Heat Zones tell us how much summer heat the plant can handle. (USDA Hardiness Zones tell us how much winter cold a plant can endure.)
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