Sorbus aria (L.) Crantz

Spice Leaves detail Flower Fruit In the field

Family: ROSACEAE

Genus: Sorbus

Catalan common name: Moixera. Pomera borda.

Spanish common name: Mochera. Mojera. Mostajo. Mostellar. Peral del monte. Serbal morisco.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Eurosiberian

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Caducifolious. Macrophanerophyte.

Habitats: Rock crevices and cliff faces. Cliff faces of the Serra de Tramuntana.

Characteristics: Sorbus aria is a tree that can reach up to fifteen metres in height when il lives in very favourable places. In Mallorca it never grows so high, rather it is usually bush-like; it can always be found in the cracks in the shady, rocky walls of the Serra de Tramuntana. It is a vestige of a deciduous wood that covered the mountain range in the past and has disappeared nowadays, being replaced with the Mediterranean evergreen woods. Sorbus aria has quite large leaves (up to 12 cm) with a dentate margin and whitish underside. It has eye-catching inflorescences, with many white flowers gathered in a false umbel. It flowers at the end of spring.