Sorbus cuspidata

Himalayan whitebeam

A fast-growing, variable tree up to 25m high in the wild but usually to 12m in cultivation, erect when young, later spreading to become broadly conical, with white-downy young branches, older branches purple-brown; the large leaves are simple, sharply toothed, usually elliptic-oblong, sometimes shallowly lobed, 15-25cm long, and are downy white when young, becoming glossy, dark green above and felted white or buff beneath, so that the whole crown appears light grey-green; the downy white flowers are scented like hawthorn and are in loose corymbs, up to 10cm across, in late spring, and are followed by round or pear-shaped fruits, 2cm across, green speckled and flushed with warm brown, or orange-red, ripening in early winter; Sorbus flowers are visited by many insects and their fruits are eaten by many birds