Mountain Ash Interactions Overview

Mountain ash is a tree that belongs to the genus Sorbus. There are several different types of Mountain ash, including Sorbus aucuparia and Sorbus americana. They are native to the northern hemisphere and are known for their clusters of small, white, or pink flowers, as well as their bright red, orange, or yellow fruit. While mountain ash fruit is edible and is often used to make jams and other foods, some species of mountain ash, particularly the American mountain ash (Sorbus americana), contain hydrogen cyanide, which can be poisonous when ingested in large amounts. Additionally, mountain ash contains parasorbic acid, which can also cause harm, but cooking the fruit can change parasorbic acid into sorbic acid, which is thought to be harmless.