Autumn Spire®

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Autumn Spire has the characteristic feathered leaves of the native Rowan, but grows with a far more columnar habit.

In autumn the leaves turn from blue-green and take on intense red-bronze tints - one of the most coloured of all the Rowans.

The fruitlets are not the usual Rowan-red - they are a bright yellow, contrasting nicely with the autumnal foliage. They can still be used for making Rowan jelly.

If you are looking for a small upright / columnar Rowan tree with spectacular fiery autumn colours, this is the one to choose.

Autumn Spire rowan trees for sale

• 11-year bare-root tree £45.95
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

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• 22-year pot-grown tree £75.00
  In a 12L pot
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

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How to grow

Autumn Spire is more columnar and somewhat smaller than other Rowans, so a good choice if you have a smaller space.

History

Autumn Spire is sometimes known as Flanrock, after its seed parent, 'Joseph Rock' - which also has particularly good autumn colours.

Autumn Spire characteristics

• Gardening skillBeginner
• AwardsRHS AGM (current) - 2012
• Attractive featuresAttractive foliageAutumn foliage colour
• Growth habitColumnar / Fastigiate
• Height after 10 years3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
• PruningLight prune
• Growth rateAverage
• Site conditionsCoastal siteOccasional floodingWindy site
• WildlifeAttractive to birds
• Flower colourWhite
• Flowering monthMayJune
• Leaf colourGreen
• Leaf colour - autumnOrange / Gold
• Fruit colourYellow
• Fruit persistencePersistent
• Country of originIreland
• Annual cycleDeciduous

Similar varieties

• 
  Betula pendula
  Fastigiata Joes
  
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Fingerprint
  An excellent columnar rowan.
• 
  Sorbus aucuparia
  Glendoick Spire
  Glendoick Spire is another popular columnar rowan.
• 
  Sorbus
  Joseph Rock
  Joseph Rock is a parent of Autumn Spire, but has an upright rather than columnar form.
• 
  Sorbus ulleungensis
  Olympic Flame
  Olympic Flame (or Dodong) is an attractive small rowan tree, its orange/red autumn leaf-colours are amongst the best.
• 
  Sorbus alnifolia
  Red Bird
  Red Bird features bright white flowers, orange / red fruits and good autumn leaf colours. It has a wider climate range than other rowans.
• Sorbus aucuparia
  Sheerwater Seedling
  A compact upright form of the Common Rowan, notable for its abundant fruiting.

How to choose a Rowan or Whitebeam tree

We list more than 50 Sorbus (rowan and whitebeam) trees. Choosing can be difficult! Our article explaining the different berry and leaf colours might help narrow down the selection.