any of several shrubs or trees of the genus Sorbus, in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are widely cultivated as ornamentals for their white flower clusters and brightly coloured fruits. Most noteworthy are the American mountain ash (S. americana; see photograph-->), also called dogberry, and the European mountain ash (S. aucuparia), also called rowan, or quickbeam. Both are handsome trees, the European growing to 18 m (60 feet), twice the height of the American species, and yielding several cultivated varieties popular in landscaping.