Sorbus ‘Autumn Spire’

We’ve grown Sorbus ‘Autumn Spire’ on our ground for years, and it’s a real favourite for its tidy, upright habit. In late spring, you’ll see clusters of creamy-white flowers which the bees certainly appreciate. These are followed by bunches of striking yellow berries, each with a little reddish mark, that often hang on after the leaves have dropped. The real show, however, is the autumn colour; the leaves shift from green to a brilliant mix of red, purple, and yellow.

This is a small tree, perfect for modern gardens where space is a premium. It naturally grows in a narrow, columnar shape, reaching about 4 to 8 metres tall but staying only about 1.5 metres wide. It’s a hardy soul, happy in most soils as long as they aren’t waterlogged, and will grow well in full sun or light shade. It’s also tolerant of pollution, making it a great candidate for town gardens.

‘Autumn Spire’ needs very little looking after. Give it a prune only to remove any broken or crossing branches, and it’s best to do this in late autumn or winter. Its slim shape makes it ideal for planting as a specimen tree, in a pair to frame a gate, or in a row along a boundary. The berries are a welcome food source for garden birds through the colder months.