Mail Order Sorbus, but not sure which one?

I purchased two 'Mountain Ash' sappling/cuttings from a mail order, now I can't remember which in order to properly identify the young trees. The two has been in a one-gallon pots for a couple of winters, and survived -- though they haven't grown much.

My questions: 1) Will they need full sun to properly make flowers and berries here in our region with hot/humid weather, or will they preffer part shade. 2) Can they tolerate high windy site? Or need protection?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Are they rowans (pinnate leaves) or whitebeams (simple leaves)?

I'd not expect any of the former to survive Florida heat, and even the latter will be difficult. Susceptibility to fireblight is also likely to be a serious problem for you.

Resin

ummm, Resin pinnate leaves I think. The branches are bare now, or I'd take a picture. Very much like one of the mimosa leaves in structure.

I had no luck with Sorbus in St Louis.
They didn't enjoy our summer humidity at all.
I suspect they may not enjoy your southern hospitality any better.

Ahhh! I just saw a beautiful 'Mountain Ash' posted on one of the bird watching forum up North. That rekindles my desire for a beautiful ornamental berries producing tree for my birds in the garden.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2082/

Will this one survive our climate here? This maybe the seedling/sappling that I have.

Very unlikely, it's a cold-climate tree which wouldn't cope with your summer heat.

Resin

Resin, according to our plant file, these trees are listed to hardy from zone 3 to zone 9+. It's misleading. Or confusing to be the least.

It is native here where I am in zone 9. The difference is I'm zone 9 oceanic, with mild winters and cool (you'd say, downright frigid!) summers, but south of you is zone 9 continental, with winters about the same temperature, but summers considerably hotter. And it's the summer heat that rowans can't cope with.

Resin

Thank you, for sharing your knowledge, now I've glimpse on the difference of oceanic vs. continental zone. So in short, it's the heat-zone that's mattered to certain cool climate loving plants.

Yep, that's right!

I'm in Heat Zone -1 (temperatures above 30°C never recorded). The Heat Zone map doesn't even go that low ;-)

Resin

This message was edited Jan 11, 2009 4:28 PM