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Sorbus aucuparia or Spindle tree (Euonymus Europaeus)?

coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
in Plants
Good morning expert gardeners. Which of the above will grow faster in a south facing, light clay, slightly acidic soil? And which one is more drought resistant once established? 

Luxembourg

Posts

  • MolamolaMolamola Posts: 105
    Good morning! Very far from expert, but have done some tree research recently. I note that these two trees are rather different in size.  The Sorbus apparently gets up to 10-15m, and the Spindle is said to be a small tree getting up to 3-6m. It may be worth asking a specialist nursery. 

    VD Berk has a list of trees that can tolerate drought here: https://www.vdberk.com/solutions/trees-that-can-tolerate-drought/ 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Rowans don't appreciate being dry. They grow in water in many areas - bogs, marshes, hillsides, wet ground, banks of streams and burns.  :)
    While they can reach a reasonable height, they're airy trees. 
    Unless you can guarantee a good moisture supply, a south facing site isn't the best for them. The spindle tree is more forgiving of the conditions you have.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    Rowans are trees...with normally a single trunk.
    I would describe spindle as a multi stemmed shrub.
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    I see spindle trees here in Luxembourg although it is true that in the forests they are big beautiful shrubs.
    They are building next door and wanted to plant a fast growing small tree, I mean to reach at least a 3 metres height in 2 years but not to go over 6 metres so perhaps a Sorbus is out of the question. Well, don't know if that speed is possible. Thank you Molamola for the link, I will ask their advice and report back if they answer. How is the planting up in Belgium going?
    I'd plant an oak here if I could!! :D

    Luxembourg
  • MolamolaMolamola Posts: 105
    Hi @coccinella! Alas, no planting yet - still planning... Like you, I am looking for small trees for my small garden.  I often find when looking at professionally-designed gardens for inspiration that designers have used trees that are supposed to have a large mature size.  Like stands of birches for a woodland style planting for example. 

    I'd really like to know why.  Could it be they can be kept small if you have the skills, or if the plan is to enjoy them for perhaps ten years before they become a problem?  
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    2 years is expecting rather a lot to have a tree or shrub grow to 3 metres. Anything growing that quickly will need pruning and containing, so you may need to re think what you put there.
    As @Silver surfer says - they're dissimilar in their growth habits too. 

    There are cultivated varieties of rowan which are smaller/narrower in habit, but unless you're buying a mature specimen, they'll take several years to be of any appreciable size and bulk. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    Thank you all guys. I have some research to do and some truths to face ... meanwhile it is still so cold here, but Sunday apparently temperature will go up to 23 degrees only to tumble down to 16 on the M :/ nday. 

    Luxembourg
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