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Rosaceae FAMILY

Sorbaria tomentosa

Sorbaria tomentosa

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The leaves and flowers contain cyanogenic glycosides. When injested, these compounds break down in the digestive tract to release cyanide. Used in small quantities in both traditional and conventional medicine, this exceedingly poisonous compound has been shown to stimulate respiration, improve digestion, and promote a sense of well-being[1]. It is also claimed by some to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer - though this claim has been largely refuted. In larger concentrations, however, cyanide can cause gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma and respiratory failure leading to death[2]. The levels of toxin can be detected by the level of bitterness:- sweet almonds, for example, contain only very low levels of it and are safe to eat in quantity, whilst bitter almonds (which are used as a flavouring in foods such as marzipan) contain much higher levels and should only be eaten in very small quantities. Great caution should be employed if the taste is moderately to very bitter[PFAF].

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

Sorbaria tomentosa can vary somewhat in hardiness, with plants coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan (var angustifolia) tolerating temperatures down to around -15°c, but some forms from the Himalayas being damaged at temperatures lower than -5°c[3]. Prefers a sunny position, growing best in a fertile, moisture-retentive but well-dained soil[4]. Grows best in a position sheltered from strong, cold winds[4]. The plant is tolerant of atmospheric pollution[4]. Plants will flower more freely if the stems are shortened back in winter or early spring, cutting the previous year's growth to 2 - 3 buds[3, 4].. On established plants old or weak shoots should be cut clean out, to make room for replacement shoots from the base[3, 4].

Propagation

Seed - Cuttings of young growth in the summer[4]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, mid to late summer in a frame[4]. Division of suckers when dormant. They can be planted straight into their permanent positions[4]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Sorbaria+tomentosa>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  2. [2]Poisonous Plants of North Carolina — http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm ↩︎An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
  3. [3]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]A Manual of Indian Timbers. — Gamble. J. S. · Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh · 1972 · ISBN - ↩︎First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
  6. [6]Ethnobotanical Uses of Biofencing Plants in Himachel Pradesh, Northwest Himalaya — Pankaj Sharma & Usha Devi · 2013 · ISBN 1028-8880 ↩︎A brief look at 61 species of plants used in hedging in northwest Himalayas nd their other uses
  7. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎