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Autumn Spire®

Sorbus aucuparia
Autumn Spire has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit

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 £34.50
    Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
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  • 22-year pot-grown tree £53.00
    In a 7L pot
    Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
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  • 32-year pot-grown tree £60.95
    In a 12L pot
    Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
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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

  • See also Fastigiata Joes
    Betula pendula
    Fastigiata Joes
  • Sorbus aucuparia
    Fingerprint
    An excellent columnar rowan.
  • See also Glendoick Spire
    Sorbus aucuparia
    Glendoick Spire
    Glendoick Spire is another popular columnar rowan.
  • See also Joseph Rock
    Sorbus
    Joseph Rock
    Joseph Rock is a parent of Autumn Spire, but has an upright rather than columnar form.

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.