Sorbus intermedia
Swedish Whitebeam

Uses

Toxic parts

The seeds probably contain hydrogen cyanide. This is the ingredient that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. Unless the seed is very bitter it should be perfectly safe in reasonable quantities. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

Edible uses

Notes

Fruit - raw or cooked^[1]^[2]. A mild, though slightly bitter flavour with a mealy texture[K]. The fruit is up to 13mm across^[3] and is produced in quite large clusters, making harvesting easier[K].

Fruit

Unknown use

Material uses

Resistant to maritime exposure, this tree can be used as a part of a shelterbelt planting^[4]^[3]. If regularly trimmed it can be used as a dense deciduous hedge^[3].

There are no material uses listed for Sorbus intermedia.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

There are no medicinal uses listed for Sorbus intermedia.

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Canopy or Secondary canopy

Ecological Functions

Hedge

Windbreak

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame^[5]^[6]. If you have sufficient seed it can be sown in an outdoor seedbed^[5]^[6]. Stored seed germinates better if given 2 weeks warm then 14 - 16 weeks cold stratification^[7], so sow it as early in the year as possible. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Seedlings are very slow to put on top-growth for their first year or two^[8], but they are busy building up a good root system. It is best to keep them in pots in a cold frame for their first winter and then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Sorbus intermedia. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.

Cultivation

Succeeds in most reasonably good well-drained soils in an open sunny position^[8]. Tolerates very acid or alkaline soils^[3] and light shade^[9], though it fruits better in a sunny position[K]. Suitable for very exposed sites, including maritime exposure^[4]^[3]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution^[8]^[3].

Resistant to fireblight^[8]. The trees usually have apomictic flowers. They thus produce seed asexually, each seedling being a clone of the parent^[8].

The fruits are very attractive to birds^[8].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Sorbus intermedia. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Sorbus intermedia.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
? ^2.0^2.1 Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-5531-7 (1972-00-00)
? ^3.0^3.1^3.2^3.3^3.4^3.5^3.6^3.7^3.8 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
? ^4.0^4.1^4.2 Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. Shelter Trees and Hedges. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1984-00-00)
? ^5.0^5.1 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)
? ^6.0^6.1 McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (1985-00-00)
? Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. ()
? ^8.0^8.1^8.2^8.3^8.4^8.5^8.6 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)

Cite error: <ref> tag with name "PFAFimport-17" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.

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[PFAFimport-2-1] ? ^1.0^1.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)

[PFAFimport-3-2] ? ^2.0^2.1 Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-5531-7 (1972-00-00)

[PFAFimport-200-3] ? ^3.0^3.1^3.2^3.3^3.4^3.5^3.6^3.7^3.8 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

[PFAFimport-75-4] ? ^4.0^4.1^4.2 Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. Shelter Trees and Hedges. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1984-00-00)

[PFAFimport-78-5] ? ^5.0^5.1 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)

[PFAFimport-80-6] ? ^6.0^6.1 McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (1985-00-00)

[PFAFimport-98-7] ? Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. ()

[PFAFimport-11-8] ? ^8.0^8.1^8.2^8.3^8.4^8.5^8.6 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)

[PFAFimport-188-9] ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)

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[9]

Article is incomplete	Yes +
Article requires citations	No +
Article requires cleanup	Yes +
Belongs to family	Rosaceae +
Belongs to genus	Sorbus +
Functions as	Hedge + and Windbreak +
Has binomial name	Sorbus intermedia +
Has common name	Swedish Whitebeam +
Has drought tolerance	Intolerant +
Has edible part	Fruit +
Has edible use	Unknown use +
Has environmental tolerance	Maritime exposure + and High wind +
Has fertility type	Self fertile +, Insects + and Apomictic +
Has flowers of type	Hermaphrodite +
Has growth rate	Moderate +
Has hardiness zone	5 +
Has image	Zweedse lijsterbes 27-08-2005 15.29.26.JPG +
Has lifecycle type	Perennial +
Has mature height	12 +
Has mature width	12 +
Has primary image	Zweedse lijsterbes 27-08-2005 15.29.26.JPG +
Has search name	sorbus intermedia + and swedish whitebeam +
Has shade tolerance	Light shade +
Has soil ph preference	Very acid +, Acid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
Has soil texture preference	Sandy +, Loamy + and Clay +
Has soil water retention preference	Well drained +
Has sun preference	Full sun +
Has taxonomic rank	Species +
Has taxonomy name	Sorbus intermedia +
Has water requirements	moderate +
Inhabits ecosystem niche	Canopy + and Secondary canopy +
Is deciduous or evergreen	Deciduous +
Is herbaceous or woody	Woody +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
PFAF cultivation notes migrated	No +
PFAF edible use notes migrated	No +
PFAF material use notes migrated	No +
PFAF medicinal use notes migrated	Yes +
PFAF propagation notes migrated	No +
PFAF toxicity notes migrated	No +
Tolerates maritime exposure	Yes +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	No +
Tolerates wind	Yes +
Uses mature size measurement unit	Meters +
Has subobjectThis property is a special property in this wiki.	Sorbus intermedia +