Photo: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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American Mountain-ash

Sorbus americana

Also known as Dogberry, Roundwood, American Rowan, Missey-moosey

At a glance

Family

Rosaceae (Rose family)

Type

Deciduous small tree or large shrub

Parts used

Berries (fruit), bark

Size

15 to 30 feet tall, often multi-stemmed

Bloom

Flat-topped clusters of small white flowers in late May to June, followed by bright orange-red berry clusters that ripen in early autumn and often hang on into winter

Habitat

Cold, moist woods, swamp edges, rocky slopes, and mountainsides across the northeastern United States and eastern Canada

Acquisition

Forage or Grow

Traditional remedies in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Rich in vitamin C

Traditional cold season support

Astringent for sore throats

Bright food for wildlife

Traditional uses

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Long before it graced dooryards and hedgerows, American Mountain-ash held a place in Northeastern and Canadian folk tradition, where its tart, jewel-bright berries were gathered after the first frost and simmered into jellies, syrups, and cordials to see families through the cold months. The inner bark was steeped by early settlers and some Native communities into a bitter, astringent tea, traditionally taken for sore throats, coughs, and general seasonal complaints, in the same rustic vein as other Rosaceae bark and bramble remedies. Because the tree's clustered berries persist so vividly against snow, it also became a well loved marker of the changing seasons, more a household standby than a formal medicine chest herb, but a cherished one all the same. Today it is grown as much for its beauty and wildlife value as for its old kitchen uses.

Growing guide

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Sun

Full sun to light part shade; berry set and fall color are best with more sun

Soil

Cool, moist, acidic to neutral soil with good drainage; tolerates rocky or lean ground but struggles in heat and compacted clay

Water

Regular moisture while establishing; once rooted it handles average rainfall but dislikes prolonged drought or standing water

Planting

Best planted in fall or early spring as a young nursery tree or bare-root sapling; give it room to spread and cool summer nights, as it does not thrive in hot, humid climates

Fresh to dried

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Harvest

Gather berry clusters in late summer through fall, ideally after the first hard frost, which softens their harsh, astringent edge; strip bark only sparingly and never from a young or unhealthy tree

Drying

Spread whole berries in a single layer in a warm, airy spot out of direct sun until shriveled and firm, or dry in a low oven; bark strips should be dried flat until brittle

Storage

Store dried berries and bark in an airtight glass jar away from light and heat, where they keep their color and aroma for up to a year

Best forms

Fresh-frozen or cooked berries for jellies and syrups; dried bark for tea

Traditional preparations

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Featured preparation

Mountain-Ash Bark Tea

A rustic, astringent tea traditionally sipped for scratchy throats and seasonal chills.

How it's made. Simmer 1 teaspoon of dried, shredded inner bark in 250 ml of water for 10 minutes, then strain and sip warm, up to once daily.

Secondary preparation

Frosted Berry Cordial Tea

A tart, vitamin-rich infusion made from cooked berries, in keeping with old settler kitchen traditions.

How it's made. Simmer a small handful of frost-softened, cooked berries in 250 ml of water for 5 to 10 minutes, strain, and sweeten lightly if desired.

Pairs well with

✦Rose hips
✦Hawthorn berry
✦Elderberry

Substitutes

✦Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
✦Hawthorn berry

Choose it when

“For the tree that turns a frosty hedgerow into a scatter of embers.”

Did you know?

Despite its common name, American Mountain-ash is not a true ash at all, it belongs to the rose family alongside apples and hawthorns, and its lookalike name comes only from its similarly shaped, feathery leaves.

Safety

Raw, unripe berries are tart and can upset the stomach, so cook them or wait until frost softens them before eating, and don't crush and eat the seeds in quantity.