Sorbus Leonard Messel - Mountain Ash

Sorbus 'Leonard Messel', or Leonard Messel Mountain Ash, is a deciduous and easy-to-grow small ornamental tree. It captivates with its clusters of very bright pink berries and its beautiful autumn colours. This variety has larger pinnate leaves than most other mountain ashes, which turn orange, golden, and purple before falling. It is also appreciated in spring for its beautiful white flowering. In the garden, it proves to be perfectly hardy and undemanding.

Sorbus 'Leonard Messel' belongs to the Rosaceae family. This cultivar was obtained in 1949 by Colonel LCR Messel and has received the Award of Garden Merit (A.G.M) from the Royal Horticultural Society. Sorbus 'Leonard Messel' is a slow-growing small tree that develops a dense and oval crown. It reaches a height of about 3m and a width of 2m after 10 years of cultivation. Ultimately, its height will reach 5-6m and its spread will be approximately 3m. Its branches are thick and upright. In winter, the twigs bear quite decorative red buds. Its deciduous pinnate leaves can reach 25cm in length. They are composed of 9 to 11 oblong, blue-green leaflets with toothed edges on the upper half. In autumn, they turn orange, golden, and sometimes purple before falling. The cream-white flowers of the Leonard Messel Mountain Ash, grouped in corymbs measuring up to 10cm in diameter, appear between May and June, depending on the climate. Pollinated by insects, they transform into clusters of pendulous berries in a beautiful bright pink. The tree is particularly decorative at the end of the season, with its foliage and fruiting.

Sorbus 'Leonard Messel' is suitable for small gardens and medium-sized areas. This small tree brings colour for a good part of the year with its flowers, fruits, and beautiful changing foliage. It can be planted as a single specimen, in a grove, or in a large free-standing hedge. To accompany it, one can choose Amelanchier lamarckii (Juneberry), interesting for its spring flowers and summer berries, Cotoneaster lacteus for its red berries and evergreen foliage, Pyracantha coccinea 'Orange Star', a thornless shrub with vibrant orange fruits, and Viburnum lantana (Wayfaring Tree), which produces red and then black berries and offers brilliant autumn foliage. Together, these plants create an attractive and varied scene throughout the year.