British Native Trees
and Shrubs

Common Whitebeam Sorbus aria (Rosaceae)

With leaves that flash silvery-white when rustled by the wind, the common whitebeam is an attractive and eye-catching deciduous small tree or large shrub. It grows up to 15 m, occasionally as high as 25 m, with a compact, densely leafy round crown, downy young shoots and smooth grey bark marked with pale breathing pores. As the leaves unfold in late April they form pleasing, upright, goblet-shaped groups, glistening white from the felted hairs on the undersides. The mature oval leaves vary in shape and are up to around 12 cm long, shiny green above, thickly coated with white hairs below, many pairs of veins and usually finely toothed margins. They turn yellow and pale brown before falling in autumn. In May and June loose clusters of five-petalled, creamy-white flowers appear in broad, flattened heads, followed by round or oblong scarlet fruits spotted with pores.

Whitebeam is found in light woodland and scrub, mainly on chalk and limestone in the southern third of England but in scattered localities elsewhere, often on inland cliffs. There are many different microspecies of whitebeam in England, some of which are very rare and restricted in range.

This is an excellent specimen tree for the smaller garden, or it would enhance a woodland corner with its neat shape and its attractions throughout the growing season. It is wind-resistant and suits a town garden because it tolerates a smoky atmosphere and regenerates well after light cutting back. It grows in sun or light shade and on most well-drained soils from dry and chalky to acid. Propagation is best achieved by gathering fruits, storing then in polythene bags until rotten, then cleaning them and sowing in containers. Germination can be erratic. Seedlings are best pricked out into small pots containing good potting compost before potting on or planting in nursery beds and growing on for a further season. For small gardens where plants get individual care they may be planted in their permanent sites at the end of their second season.

The leaves are eaten by the larvae of tortricoid moths and may be tunnelled by leaf miners and blistered by gall mites. The fruits are enjoyed by larger birds in winter.

Page last updated - January 10, 2002  

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