Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Sorbus

Species:

Sorbus sitchensis

USDA Symbol:

SOSI2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

400 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fall Color:

red, orange, yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; typical of subalpine and montane shrub communities with infrequent fire.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, well-drained, rocky or sandy soil

pH:

5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers cool, mountainous regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds require cold-moist stratification; germination can be erratic over multiple seasons.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI