American Mountainash

Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade

Acidic, Clay, Loamy, Sandy, Well Drained, Wet

This tree is an important source of food for many small birds and mammals including catbirds, thrushes and waxwings. Other wildlife attracted to the tree include butterflies, bees and larger mammals such as moose. The fruit persists through winter and has been known to intoxicate birds after it ferments in a few fall frosts.

The American mountainash was first cultivated in 1811. The bark was used as an anti-malarial medicine by pioneer doctors because of its close resemblance to the quinine tree.

This tree has been referred to as a variety of different names in literature: Rowantree, rowan berry, roundwood, mountain sumac, winetree, dogberry, service tree, wild ash, quickbeam, life-of-man, Indian mozemize, missey-moosey and mose-misse.