Hi Nina! I am going to have to give you some bad news. First of all, I don't have any experience with the Mountain Ash, even so, I don't think your mountain ash will grow into a beautiful tree in your yard-so I think your husband is wrong about your little tree. Even though I don't have experience with the tree, I did do a little research to hopefully help you and him out.
I am not sure exactly what variety of mountain ash you have and if you have the latin name, send it to me and I will check to see if there is anything different you need to know than what I am writing about now. I consulted Michael Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. He is widely known as the definitive authority on trees and shrubs. He does have mountain ash listed. I think, knowing the PX, your husband got either an American or European Mountain Ash. The botanical names are Sorbus americana for American, and Sorbus aucuparia for the European. Both trees are common species. Dirr says he has seen these trees from Maine all the way along the Appalachian Mountains to North Carolina. It would seem they might do OK here, but that is not true. Dirr also says these trees grow to about 30' tall and are hardy from Zone 3-6 or 7; BUT "excessive summer heat induces problems."
Mountain ashes are members of the Rosaceae family. As such, they are susceptible to all kinds of problems this family is susceptable to, and the stress of high summer heat will certainly invite in problems. Some problems listed by Dirr are: fireblight, crown gall, canker, leaf rusts, scab, aphids, pear leaf blister mite, Japanese leafhopper, roundheaded borer, mountain ash sawfly, and scales. Dirr says the best line of defense against these problems is a healthy, actively growing tree. The tree prefers a good loamy soil somewhat acidic. It will not tolerate compacted soils. In order to combat some of the heat, I think it would be best to plant this tree where it is shaded from the hot afternoon sun, perhaps on the east side of some trees or a house. The heat here in our zone (6 or 7) depending on who you talk to, will not bode well for this tree as it is generally a northern tree or a tree of higher elevations-in the mountains. Here is an additional link which shows the range: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SOAM3 This is on the USDA webpage which is a good website to show ranges of plants. Some other links I found which may be helpful are: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/ashmo076.html
http://www.2020site.org/trees/rowan.html
This tree is most likely going to be short lived in our area and will never grow into a beautiful specimen like the picture you sent to me. I agree it is gorgeous but there are some plants we cannot grow here due to our climate that northerners are blessed with. (My mother will love that comment)
The PX sometimes has great plants but not all plants sold at the PX or other big box stores and nurseries are suitable for our area. I think nurserymen should do a better job of warning consumers a head of time. My favorite example which I have been personally bit by, is the gardenia. Everyone around here sells this bush in the spring-but it is not hardy for this area. I once asked a nursery woman why she was selling it here since it wasn't hardy. She replied, "It hardy here-in the greenhouse." HaHa. I guess that old adage "Let the buyer beware" couldn't be more apt than in the plant business. Anyhow, nurse the tree along and if it is in a good area as described above and you pay close attention to your mountain ash, it might survive for a few years but it is doubtful it will grow as beautifully as it does in its native range. If you just planted it this year and it is in a full sun area, you might try to find a spot sheltered from the sun and in the coolest area of your yard. It is not too late to transplant a tree. Thanks for the question as I learned something new too!
in the garden....
I am not sure exactly what variety of mountain ash you have and if you have the latin name, send it to me and I will check to see if there is anything different you need to know than what I am writing about now. I consulted Michael Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. He is widely known as the definitive authority on trees and shrubs. He does have mountain ash listed. I think, knowing the PX, your husband got either an American or European Mountain Ash. The botanical names are Sorbus americana for American, and Sorbus aucuparia for the European. Both trees are common species. Dirr says he has seen these trees from Maine all the way along the Appalachian Mountains to North Carolina. It would seem they might do OK here, but that is not true. Dirr also says these trees grow to about 30' tall and are hardy from Zone 3-6 or 7; BUT "excessive summer heat induces problems."
Mountain ashes are members of the Rosaceae family. As such, they are susceptible to all kinds of problems this family is susceptable to, and the stress of high summer heat will certainly invite in problems. Some problems listed by Dirr are: fireblight, crown gall, canker, leaf rusts, scab, aphids, pear leaf blister mite, Japanese leafhopper, roundheaded borer, mountain ash sawfly, and scales. Dirr says the best line of defense against these problems is a healthy, actively growing tree. The tree prefers a good loamy soil somewhat acidic. It will not tolerate compacted soils. In order to combat some of the heat, I think it would be best to plant this tree where it is shaded from the hot afternoon sun, perhaps on the east side of some trees or a house. The heat here in our zone (6 or 7) depending on who you talk to, will not bode well for this tree as it is generally a northern tree or a tree of higher elevations-in the mountains. Here is an additional link which shows the range: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SOAM3 This is on the USDA webpage which is a good website to show ranges of plants. Some other links I found which may be helpful are: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/ashmo076.html
http://www.2020site.org/trees/rowan.html
This tree is most likely going to be short lived in our area and will never grow into a beautiful specimen like the picture you sent to me. I agree it is gorgeous but there are some plants we cannot grow here due to our climate that northerners are blessed with. (My mother will love that comment)
The PX sometimes has great plants but not all plants sold at the PX or other big box stores and nurseries are suitable for our area. I think nurserymen should do a better job of warning consumers a head of time. My favorite example which I have been personally bit by, is the gardenia. Everyone around here sells this bush in the spring-but it is not hardy for this area. I once asked a nursery woman why she was selling it here since it wasn't hardy. She replied, "It hardy here-in the greenhouse." HaHa. I guess that old adage "Let the buyer beware" couldn't be more apt than in the plant business. Anyhow, nurse the tree along and if it is in a good area as described above and you pay close attention to your mountain ash, it might survive for a few years but it is doubtful it will grow as beautifully as it does in its native range. If you just planted it this year and it is in a full sun area, you might try to find a spot sheltered from the sun and in the coolest area of your yard. It is not too late to transplant a tree. Thanks for the question as I learned something new too!
in the garden....
