Rowan berries, but a true berry is a simple fruit produced from a single ovary, whereas a pome is an accessory fruit. Rowan is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species; see Lepidoptera that feed on "Sorbus". The best-known species is the European rowan "Sorbus aucuparia", a small tree typically 4–12 m tall growing in a variety of habitats throughout northern Europe and in mountains in southern Europe and southwest Asia. Its berries are a favourite food for many birds and are a traditional wild-collected food in Britain and Scandinavia. It is one of the hardiest
Sorbus alnifolia fruit (persistent in other whitebeams), but genetic evidence places it close to "Sorbus aria". It is occasionally grown as an ornamental tree in northern Europe, primarily for its autumn colour. The cultivar 'Skyline' has been selected for its fastigiate growth. Sorbus alnifolia Sorbus alnifolia (syn. "Aria alnifolia"), also called alder-leafed whitebeam, Korean whitebeam, or Korean mountain ash, , is a species of whitebeam native to eastern Asia in eastern and northern China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. "Sorbus alnifolia" is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 10–20 m tall with a trunk up to 30 cm diameter and grey bark; the