Sorb

Sorbs are a group of small Eurasian trees, belonging to the same family of apples, pears, and roses (Rosacaee) . The fruits, also called sorbs, grow in clusters and are small red pomes, with a sourish taste, but rich in vitamins. They are not particularly palatable, but birds like them, and, in the past, humans used them to prepare a cider-like liquor. The tree in the picture above is an Old World mountain variety ( Sorbus aria) , with simple, green and silver, leaves. The pomes of Sorbus aria were dried and mixed to cereal flour to make bread during hard times of famine. The common sorb (Sorbus domesticus) is called service tree and has composite, long leaves. Another sibling is the rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) , a taller tree, akin to the American type (Sorbus americana) or mountain ash.