Sorbus aucuparia Fingerprint - Rowan

Sorbus aucuparia 'Fingerprint' is a cultivar of rowan that is attractive in more ways than one. Its architectural, columnar habit is elegant and allows it to be planted in small spaces. Its finely compound foliage is equally ornamental, and its dark green hue forms a superb backdrop to the white spring flowering. This later develops in late summer into small, bright, slightly orange-red berries, which enhance its decorative interest and provide a food source for birds. Very hardy and accommodating in terms of soil and climate, it is only sensitive to excessive drought.

The rowan belongs to the very large and important family of Rosaceae, which includes about 5000 species of wild plants (burnet, wild rose...), ornamental plants (Photinia, Kerria, Pyracantha...) and the vast majority of fruit trees (Apple, Apricot...). The Sorbus genus comprises over a hundred species, divided between the rowans, with compound leaves, and the whitebeams, with simple leaves. The rowan, or Sorbus aucuparia, is a species found in northern Europe up to Iceland, as well as in Asia, reaching Siberia and even Japan. Growing quite rapidly in the first 20 years, its growth then slows down, and its longevity is often less than 100 years. Its pyramidal silhouette is elegant, typically measuring less than 10 m in height, but occasionally exceeding 15 m.
'Fingerprint' is a horticultural variety of Belgian origin obtained in the 1990s and shortly after its market launch received the award for "Best Newcomer" at the International Nursery Trade Fair Groot Groen Plus in Zundert (Netherlands). It boasts numerous ornamental qualities that earn it a well-deserved place in our gardens. With a fairly rapid growth rate of 30 to 70 cm per year, it forms a columnar or tapered conical tree, reaching 5 m in height and 2 m in width after 10 years. In 20 years, it will reach 8 to 10 m in height and 3 to 4 m in width, stabilising thereafter. Its architectural, narrow habit allows it to be planted in small gardens, or combined with several specimens in a larger space to create a contemporary scene.
Its foliage is truly superb, consisting of odd-pinnate leaves, meaning composed of leaflets in odd numbers, one opposite the other along the leaf rib, with the last one extending it. The finely toothed leaflets are very slender and pointed, evoking the delicacy of certain ferns. Their green colour is quite dark, and the dark cone formed by the plant stands out particularly well against a light facade. Around the end of April, depending on the region, umbellate clusters of about ten centimetres in diameter appear, consisting of small white flowers that create a very pleasant contrast against the dark foliage. These slightly fragrant flowers are honey-producing, thus adding to this plant's utility for wildlife. After fertilisation, the flowers develop into coral-red to slightly orange berries, gathered at the end of summer in very ornamental clusters against the still green foliage. These decorative fruits persist quite long on the plant, serving as a larder for the birds that adore them. In autumn, the tree reveals another facet of its aesthetic talent when its finely cut foliage takes on sumptuous warm colours, ranging from yellow to red to orange, before finally falling to the ground.

Rowan 'Fingerprint' is a truly attractive cultivar that will bring a touch of distinction to the garden. Very hardy and particularly resistant to diseases, it thrives in full sun in ordinary, not too dry soil. Pair it with colourful foliage to create a contrasting quality scene, such as Physocarpus opulifolius 'Angel Gold', an upright ninebark standing 3 m tall, whose golden yellow foliage will be very interesting at the base of your rowan. Also belonging to the Rosaceae family, its white spring flowering will provide you with decorative red fruits at the end of the season. A purple smoke tree, such as Cotinus 'Grace', will complete your vibrant scene, especially in autumn when its ovate foliage turns bright red. Its summer flowering, with its vapour-like appearance, will delight children with its resemblance to candy floss. And to play on the differences in silhouette, insert a weeping form into your border, such as Cercis canadensis 'Cascading Hearts', a charming small dome-shaped tree whose still bare branches are covered with pink-purple flowers early in spring before the leaves appear. These leaves are almost round and turn yellow in autumn, adding their touch of colour to your final fireworks display.