Sorbus Aucuparia Cardinal Royal Tree

Mountain Ash trees are ideal to plant in medium to large sized gardens where they will impress with their elegant, upright shape. The Cardinal Royal gets its name from the stunning, glossy bright red berries that smother the tree in late July and August. Cardinals wear scarlet vestments and headwear with scarlet piping and buttons on their black cassocks. A majestic Royal sight!

Sorbus aucuparia ‘Cardinal Royal’ features attractive dark green leaves divided into many leaflets. The leaves have a silvery underside which turn to a stunning show of russet red in autumn. In spring, lightly scented creamy white flowers create a wonderful display and later turn into red berries. The berries attract birds, bees and butterflies, bringing movement and bird song into your garden.

This Mountain Ash tree grows to heights of 6m with a spread of 3m. It has a lovely upright habit, pleasing to the eye. When the tree is laden with berries, the weight may pull some branches down, disturbing the perfect upright look. Don’t worry, birds will soon enjoy the berries and the branches will return to their original position.

Your Cardinal Royal is fully hardy and can be planted in full sun or light shade. The tree thrives best in moist but well-drained soil. Plant one alone as a focal point of interest in a medium to large space. You can also plant many in a row to create a screen against a fence or an uninspired dull boundary wall.