GardenWizzPlant Care Card

Whitebeam

Sorbus aria · Tree

Hardiness

H6 Hardy — very cold winter (to −20 to −15°C)

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Height × Spread

15 m × 8 m

Soil

Moderately fertile, humus-rich, well-drained; tolerant of chalk and limestone

Flowering

May–June

Toxicity

Fruit are ornamental, not to be eaten. Seeds contain small amounts of cyanoglycosides.

The Gardening Year

🌱 Sow

🪴 Plant out

🌸 In flower

Fireblight: Prune out infected wood well below the visible symptoms during dry weather, disinfecting tools between cuts.

Apple canker: Cut out cankers with a sharp knife to healthy tissue and apply wound paint to prevent reinfection.

Aphids: Encourage natural predators like ladybirds or use a strong jet of water to dislodge them.

Scale insects: Scrape off heavy infestations by hand or apply horticultural oil in winter when dormant.

Red spider mite: Water the base of the tree to increase humidity and introduce predatory mites if infestation is severe.