Torminalis spp.

wild service tree

Rosaceae

Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Torminalis spp. is a single-species genus in the rose family, Rosaceae, recently separated from Sorbus spp.. The wild service tree, Torminalis glaberrima, is a deciduous tree of 30-80 feet (9-25 m) native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Unlike the pinnate-leaved Sorbus spp., it carries simple, maple-like leaves with sharp triangular lobes, glossy green in summer and turning red, orange, and bronze in autumn. Flat heads of small white five-petalled flowers open in late spring, followed by oval brown fruits speckled with paler dots, known as chequers. The fruits are hard and astringent until softened by frost or storage, after which they were eaten and used to flavour drinks, a use kept alive in old inn names such as the Chequers. The tree grows slowly, often as a scattered understorey or hedgerow tree on clay and limestone soils, and spreads by root suckers to form clonal groups. It is long-lived but slow to establish and uncommon in cultivation. Bark on old trunks breaks into small square plates.

Native Range

Native to Europe from England and Spain east to the Caucasus and Iran, and south into North Africa, growing in woodland, hedgerows, and on limestone slopes.

Suggested Uses

Planted as a specimen and wildlife tree in parks, large gardens, and hedgerows, grown for autumn colour and its speckled fruit. It is used in native woodland planting and restoration on heavy and limey soils.

How to Identify

Recognised by simple, maple-like leaves with several pairs of sharp, forward-pointing lobes, glossy dark green above. Flat clusters of white flowers in spring give way to oval, russet-brown fruits flecked with pale lenticels. The lobed leaves and speckled brown fruit separate it from the pinnate-leaved rowans and the round-leaved whitebeams once grouped with it in Sorbus spp..

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height30' - 80'

Width/Spread20' - 40'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

red

orange

bronze

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

White flowers open in flat corymbs in late spring, usually May to June, after the leaves expand. They are insect-pollinated and lightly scented. Brown chequer fruits follow and ripen in autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

glossy green, red and orange in autumn

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

20+ years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

The tree grows in full sun to light shade in most well-drained soils, including clay, chalk, and limestone, across a pH range of about 5.5 to 8.0. It is hardy through zones 5 to 8 and tolerates exposure once established. Growth is slow, and young trees need weed-free ground and steady moisture to settle in. Seed is slow and erratic to germinate, often needing two winters, so nursery stock is sometimes grafted. Root suckers can be lifted for propagation. The tree is largely free of serious pests, though fireblight can affect it as a member of the rose family.

Pruning

Little pruning is required beyond shaping young trees in winter to a clear trunk. Crossing or damaged branches are removed when dormant. Root suckers are cut off where a single-stemmed tree is wanted.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic

Tree