https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186218551
I observed this small tree last week on September 29th, around 2:30 in the afternoon at the Shrine of Saint Therese, located out the road in Juneau, when I was on a walk around the expansive property. The day was partly cloudy and cold but perfect fall weather for exploring. This plant was particularly difficult for me to identify because not many trees native to Southeast Alaska that I have seen before look similar to this one. Another factor that made this identification hard for me was that this specific tree I photographed is young so many of the images I was seeing of the same tree looked quite different because they were much older and larger in overall scale. However, after realizing leaf identification was going to be key to solving this mystery, I came across some promising articles. Once I found out that the sequence of leaves on this tree was an odd-pinnate variation, I was able to narrow my search down to the ash tree since the leaves I observed were most similar in margins, the edge pattern of the leaf, and morphology which includes size, shape, and arrangement (Flagstad et al. 10-11). I have concluded that this is most likely a European Mountain Ash, also known more commonly as a Rowan tree in other parts of the world. During my research, I could not find a definitive date as to when it was introduced to the state of Alaska but this plant is not native to the region. The tree originally comes from mainland Europe, Iceland, western Asia, and northern Africa (Klein 2). That being said, it is not considered to be noxious to the local flora and fauna–a range of local birds actually rely on its red/orange berries that occur naturally in the summer as an abundant food source. Though some have perceived these berries as poisonous/not fit for human consumption, according to the US Forest Service, “In Europe…[they] are commonly used in jams and jellies”. Additionally, it has a couple of scientific names such as Sorbus aucuparia and Pyrus aucuparia but it has also commonly been confused with its three cousin species, the Sitka mountain ash, the Cascade mountain ash, and the Siberian mountain ash (“Trees and Shrubs to Watch”).
Works Cited
Flagstad, L., Cortes-Burns, H., and Greenstein, C. 2015. Identification of Non-native Plants in Alaska. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, University of Alaska Anchorage. pp. 10-11.
Klein, Helen. “European Mountain Ash: Sorbus Aucuparia L. .” Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage: Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 8 Feb. 2011, accs.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/Sorbus_aucuparia_BIO_SOAU.pdf.
“Trees and Shrubs to Watch.” Invasive Trees and Shrubs, US Forest Service, 2004, www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037724.pdf.
Comentarios
It's nice to see some fall colors! Thanks for sharing the changing leaves of the ash, Lexi! Also, nice work on figuring out what to look for in this particular species to try to identify it. Sometimes you have to note things about the leaves, sometimes it's the bark, sometimes it could be about the cones -- it can be tricky to figure out a pathway to identification, so well done!
A quick reminder that when you use electronic resources (websites, pdfs found online, etc.), you need to end your Works Cited entry with the date you accessed the source.
Also, if you use a signal phrase to introduce a quote (as you do in your Journal post here), you need to be sure to use as the signal phrase the first words of its corresponding entry. Your reader needs to be able to go directly from your signal phrase to your Works Cited, and see that signal phrase starting one of your entries. In your case, you would have needed to use the signal phrase "Trees and Shrubs" instead of US Forest Service, to introduce your quote because the source the quote comes from is listed in the Works Cited by the article title "Trees and Shrubs." Email with any questions!
Best,
Professor Brooke
It's interesting that all the trees around your spices have lost almost all of their leaves, but your spices are still going strong. I also agree with you that it can be hard to Identify species; when I was doing the geese, all the species looked alike, and it was hard to determine which one I was looking at. I just looked up a Rowan tree, and they get huge; I can see why you would have trouble identifying one of them. It makes me wonder if the Rowan tree you found will overtake the birch trees or stay small due to competition. It's an interesting world out there with trees fighting to get the most nutrients. You said the Rowan tree is from Europe, I'm curious to know how abundant the Rowan tree is there. Thanks for sharing your species.
Hi Lexi,
I am obsessed with the color orange so I had to comment. I love this time of year for its colors, especially out at the shrine. There are so many fascinating plants and trees out there to research. It's wonderful that you were able to extend your research to find out the species of this tree. I appreciate your hard work. I wonder what kinds of other life are native to Iceland that we have here since Iceland is an oddly specific place for these trees to be native to. I love hearing that the Mountain Ash is a food source for our critters! Thanks for sharing.
Funny that a European Mountain Ash would be planted near a shrine to St. Therese of Lixieux. I wonder if it's just a happy coincidence or deliberate! While I'm not in the least bit religious, I've been fascinated by the life of this young saint who died at only 24. Oof.
Exploring and documenting the presence of non-native species like the European Mountain Ash in Alaska contributes to our understanding of local ecosystems and their ever-changing dynamics. It's a reminder of how the introduction of non-native species can have both positive and negative impacts on local flora and fauna, and the importance of studying these interactions.
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