North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>]

Oh, this IS rowan we are talking about, no wonder I kept thinking I should 
know what sorbus was.  There are some pretty ones in Nashville that have 
smallish berries in different shaped bunches compared to what I saw in 
England, but the berries are rather nasty smelling and sticky.

This plant likes light, acidic soils (dig in some peat moss) that do not 
become water-logged. Plant in full sun away from other trees--it does not 
compete well, although it will manage under the shade of scotch pine. It 
will grow in the northern part of temperate and in cold areas (zones 2-6, or 
down to -20F/-28C) but cannot take any heat, so it cannot be grown in the 
south at all. Once it is established, it is easy to propagate from twigs.

> From PFAF on S. domestica, the one Lon says is so hard to graft: There are 2 
distinct forms, S. domestica pomifera. (Hayne.)Rehd. with apple shaped 
fruits (which ripen from September) and S. domestica pyriformis. 
(Hayne.)Rehd. with pear shaped fruits which ripen from October[11, 132]. 
Plants are susceptible to fireblight[188] and to canker (which is especially 
prevalent in areas with high rainfall.

Well, the fireblight part is not very promising.  Hmmm... the Korean species 
would probably do better here, but nothing about edibility.  Hope I don't 
wind up cutting down my sorbus trees before I ever acquire them.     Donna