Sorbus sorbifolia

Now this....tell me how big it gets and what it looks like down the road. this thing is about 6 years old and just a spindly wispy multi stemmed large shrub ... Worth keeping ? Is it considered a nice thing to have?

I think the picture is Sorbaria sorbifolia (False Spiraea). I know Kevin has this shrub and he can tell you a lot more about it than I can.

Grow it in more sun and it should take off. But it takes off underground too, with runners like sumac but not as long before they pop up again. The plant has its place in horticulture, but not one of my favorites. On the other hand, people that know me know I am very opinionated when it comes to the plant world. Better get some other advice too.

Oh that is interesting...I was given this by the owner of a small nursery when it was tiny and the tag said sorbus sorbifolia I think. she said it could take shade so naturally I took it! Who is Kevin?

What is the difference between sobaria and sorbus? Thanks for the advice and I will leave it where it is!

Manno man. That slipped right by me. Yes, it is Sorbaria. Sorbus is the genus name for mountain ash (tree). SS can take shade, but is much more wimpy like in your photo. (or should I say "graceful?"

I sure hope I didn't get ahead of myself on this one. There may be a Sorbus sorbifolia, but I think what you've got is Ural False Spiraea. Sorbus is the genus of plants referred to as Mountain Ash, Rowan, etc., while Sorbaria refers to the False Spiraea's. I can see how an error could easily happen when labeling the plants. Kevin is well known as a Viburnum expert and all around plantsman who recently came on board here at DG. I posed a similar question about Sorbaria quite awhile ago and he shared his experience and knowledge of the plant in detail.

Is "leftwood" Kevin?

Oh boy, I'm afraid I've really opened up a can of worms here. Leftwood is, well, Leftwood. Try to be patient and maybe with any luck Kevin will check-in. Unless of course he's having too much fun watching me squirm.

If Leftwood is Leftwood, then who is Kevin? And if Kevin is a viburnum expert, what is Variola Vesicle? And why is Mactruck squirming?

Scott

Levilyla:

Go look at the Parrotia thread; Kevin_5 has posted there. You can dmail him to get his attention, and then maybe he'll grace us with his presence here.

I'll vouch for unruly behavior of Sorbaria sorbifolia; likes to run amok if it's happy. I expect you'll hear dittoes from Kevin, too.

Dysfunctional:

I am not a Carpinus.

And Kevin is a hardy northern provenance of the penultimate genus Viburnum.

You all are way above me~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's the first time any of us have EVER heard that!

Scott

No dear, you are way above them. They all have a bad case of the slap happy silly willies.

Leftwood is Rick
Kevin_5 is Kevin

Or you could say they have their heads in the clouds? Yup, that would be way above, flyin' high, up in a balloon . . . .

Rick

Their heads are somewhere... that's for sure.

He he he, I'm still waiting for V V to find a way to butcher... er uh... create a new term of endearment for levilyla. It's going to be tricky but I'm staking odds he can come up with something creative to rename her. What do you think?

Waiting on the wordsmithy.

I should check in more often! I'd guess on that being a shaded Sorbaria sorbifolia. I actually like the plant, despite its thuggish nature. It spreads via underground suckers, and will spread indefinitely. Did I mention that it spreads? Full sun is best. There is a planting down the road from me, which started as one plant about 12 years ago. It is now about 10' tall in the middle, and 25' wide, in a perfect circle, happily expanding in the horse pasture. It leafs out first of any plant I have. The blooms are eye catching, oddly scented, and a magnet for thousands of types of bugs. The spent brown flowers provide interest later in the year. The leaves can get a little spotty late in summer, and fall color is sickly yellow at best. It is great in a contained position where a dense hedge is desired.

Well, there's a very colorful description for you of Sorbaria sorbifolia.

Well if had known how wonderful a plant I may have gotten several. Actually this thing is maybe 6-8 years old and never suckered. Thanks for your very CANDID opinion...it is way in the back and I will leave it there! (At least I know what it is now)~~~

The shade is probably what is keeping yours in check. Look here for what a good stand SHOULD look like http://www.sarkanperennataimisto.fi/kuvat/b13.jpg . By the way, you wouldn't need to buy several, one will do. It will be several the next year!

Well I must say I think that is gorgeous....maybe I will move to more sun. LOL

levilyla - I agree, I think it's gorgeous! It's not a plant for a small garden, but on the other hand is very useful in the right spot where you can give it room to spread. Years ago each spring I would anxiously await the blooming of a huge mass of Sorbaria growing in the landscape of a small cottage in Maine. Back then I didn't have a clue what it was but always thought from a distance it looked like an Astilbe on steroids! I enjoy the texture of the leaves almost as much as the flowers. Dirr says "outstanding in flower" and I concur! Todd has a beautiful close-up of the flower here: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2622/index.html Find some more glorious pictures of the plant, show them to your husband and maybe he'll cut down a few of those trees for you :)

Debbie

Todd's picture is beautiful ~~~ my flowers are not quite that lovely. Probably, again, because of not enough sun. My DH will not let ME use the chain saw and HE will not cut down trees unless they are dead. It is an ongoing battle. Maybe I could gurdle a few LOL.

Something to consider (from one of the SlapHappyWillies):

Where is Sorbaria sorbifolia native to? Where are those fabulous photos taken? Hmmm. Plants behave differently in different climates.

Särkän Perennataimisto is probably providing information from Finland. Todd B is in Newfoundland, though the posting doesn't say where he took his photo. Kevin speaks to northern IL, and Debbie recalls Maine. Sorbaria sorbifolia, the Ural Falsespirea is native to northern Asia from Ural to Japan.

I believe Sorbaria sorbifolia presents itself in contrasting style depending how far south you bring it. The (relatively) cooler climes and shorter seasons in more northerly latitudes lend to the denser presentation. As growing seasons get longer and hotter (MD, KY, etc.) this plant stretches and is more unruly.

This is not a rejoinder to avoid the plant. I'm only offering information, with which one does what one will.

Additional cultural information from Dirr, pertaining to the eastern US:

"...suckers and spreads profusely; prefers moist, well-drained, organic soil; tends to become dwarfed in dry soils..."

Levitation:

Have you had the pleasure of visiting this institution?

http://www.mtcubacenter.org/

The wee bit I've seen of your property...what a gem.

Thanks VV (smarty pants)...I am embaressed to say that living so close I have never visited Mt. Cuba but have had the pleasure of hearing Dick Lighty lecture several times. It seems everyone I know has been there. You make a very good point about the Sobaria...So I guess in Newfoundland it might be a very choice plant. Just like I can't have any Meconopsis! I am going to test you...I am going to post a picture of a branch and see if you can tell me what it is. Later~~~

Speaking of more gems of the mid-Atlantic...Dr. Richard Lighty was/is one of the greats. I am pretty sure he has retired from Mt. Cuba. His able successor is another fine man, Rick Lewandowski.

I hope you get a chance to see this excellent place, and imbibe some of the great work that they are doing there. Say hi to Rick for me if you speak with them.

Oh, I love a challenge! Post away...

Hey SP~~~~your first challenge.

Well, I don't see what I posted coming up; I hope this doesn't become a duplicate.

Could you post a closeup of the buds/twigs, too? Can't quite get focused on them from my vantage point (old computer, no program to fiddle with images).

I'll dmail my guess to you (before you post more info), so that others may participate in the ID.

Hope this is a better angle....

bud

Next time (and next specimen) I will get a better picture. Magnolia virginiana it is. Maybe that was too easy for you ~~~~

Good questions, and good practice. It wasn't that easy! I bet you have tougher things around the homestead there, like maybe more viburnums...

Practice with picture-taking and knowing just what to show in order for someone to discern differences yields valuable results when you are after an answer.

Just ask Resin, and what he looks for in conifer ID.

Show me the cone!

levilyla, although my first experience with Sorbaria was from a cooler climate, we've had our Sorbaria for over three years in our Zone 6 garden where it is protected from the hot afternoon sun of our southern summers. We are fortunate because we have it planted in an area where I would welcome its suckering. If I remember correctly, you have property at Wintergreen? If so, this would probably be a more appropriate location for the plant.

VV, we have a Viburnum that "found" a spot in our gardens - have no idea where it came from (not planted by us), hoping you can help with the ID. (edited: just looked at the picture, not the best quality, but it's all I can find right now - taken last October)

This message was edited Feb 27, 2006 4:47 AM

This message was edited Feb 27, 2006 4:47 AM

OK, the mid-Atlantic states are ganging up now. Gotta stretch; it's early. Speaking of: rcn, you must be a nurseryperson or you're up milking cows.

Dimes to doughnuts (one of my youthful jobs), that's a....wait, let's see if anyone else will chime in first.

Those elongated droopy leaves and big fat buds with a lot of color in them are good clues. The whole plant should be kind of leggy with more leaves and branching near the top/tips, and having quite a vase-shape overall. Absolutely outstanding fall fruit display, which holds well into winter if bird populations have other food sources. And that's a fine picture; someday I'll learn the split-screen action. Now, get some winter full body shots (and maybe a bud detail or two).

Here's a photo of dormant winter buds on what I believe is the same species.

SP ~~I hope I will be able to get a photograph like that someday. I would never have guessed that to be a Viburnum. RCN ~~We sold our house in Wintergreen about 10 years ago....so the Sobaria stays here. Your Viburnum (I am guessing) is a tea Viburnum.

This message was edited Feb 27, 2006 7:26 PM

VV, LOL - no cows here, but plenty of plants that need TLC. I actually wait to post in the morning so you won't know how early I really get up! Thank you for the help - now I need to get back outside and take another "winter shot". I'll answer your Dmail when I get one.

Ok I'll bite - "dimes to doughnuts"??? Either I'm too old, too young, or its my French Canadian "bass ackwards" knowledge failing me - D to D refers to what??

Try first listing on Google---dimes to donuts. We don't have to rub in the last line; however, Quercus's daddy's ego would be bruised.

Thanks Ken - that's a new one for me :) kind of like when I first heard someone say "now we're cooking with gas" - huh?? had never heard that one either :)

VV, "you've got mail" :)