Sorbus aria 'LUTESCENS'

whitebeam is a European native from warmer regions of our country. It is a long-lived tree, able to cope with air-pollution and heavy clay soil which most other trees may find difficult to adapt to, which is why it has become common in public landscaping.

Lutescens is a whitebeam variety from 1885. It is highly valued for its striking silver foliage in spring. The leaves are deciduous, 10-12 cm long, broadly ovate, deeply veined, and serrated at margins. Their silver colour is lent by the numerous hairs on both sides of the leaf, though in summer they disappear from the obverse, remaining on the reverse only.

Tiny, fragrant flowers are formed in small corymbs and open from mid to late May. They are very melliferous and offer a good bee pasture for a considerable period of time (2-4 weeks). In autumn mature small, rounded, orange red fruit that is edible but seeds may contain small amounts of hydrogen cyanide (as in bitter almonds), therefore the fruit is not recommended for mass consumption.

Lutescens whitebeam is a moderate grower making about 20-25 cm per year and keeping quite a uniform, densely branched, broadly ovate canopy. Pruning is not required but possible if you want to keep it smaller – do so in early spring. In the wild it usually grows on limestone but it is not picky about soil type, it can take almost any pH and copes well with heavy clay, compacted soils. It prefers full sun and even moisture. Fully hardy to min. -30°C (USDA zone 5) but may take a few degrees lower.

Last update 09-07-2015