Plant Details

Sorbus domestica

Service Tree

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Common names

41 names · 22 languages
EnglishYour language
+3 more namesShow fewer names
  • Sorb Tree[2]
  • true service-tree[2]
  • Whitty Pear[2]
Other languages (21)
Dutch
  • Peerlijsterbes
  • Peervormige lijsterbes
  • Tamme lijsterbes[2]
French
  • Cormier[2]
  • Sorbier domestique[2]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐亞花楸[2]
  • 羅旺樹[2]
Czech
  • jeřáb oskeruše[2]
Danish
  • Storfrugtet røn[2]
Estonian
  • aedpihlakas[2]
German
+4 more namesShow fewer names
Hungarian
  • Házi berkenye[2]
Italian
  • sorbo comune[2]
  • sorbo domestico[2]
Lithuanian
  • Naminis šermukšnis[2]
Polish
  • jarząb domowy[2]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Рябина домашняя[2]
Slovak
  • jarabina oskorušová[2]
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
  • äppelrönn[2]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Дерен домашній[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Cormus domestica (L.) Spach ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Service-tree (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 171846; taxon 6B58W.
  • Speierling (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 171847; taxon 6B58W.
[2] Cormus domestica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Servera — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Cormier — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Sorveira — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Speierling — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Sperberbaum — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Spierling — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Serbal — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Sperbelbaum — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Sporapfel — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Spierapfel — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Spreigel — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • aedpihlakas — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Рябина домашняя — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • 罗旺树 — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • jeřáb oskeruše — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Service-tree — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Tamme lijsterbes — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • 歐亞花楸 — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • 羅旺樹 — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • 欧亚花楸 — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • üvez — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • sorbo domestico — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • sorbo comune — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Házi berkenye — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • jarabina oskorušová — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Naminis šermukšnis — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • äppelrönn — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Sorbier domestique — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Whitty Pear — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Sorb Tree — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Cormier — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Server — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Storfrugtet røn — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • true service-tree — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • 棠楸 — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • jarząb domowy — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • skorš — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.
  • Дерен домашній — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 1277867; Cormus domestica.

General information

Scientific name: Sorbus domestica
Accepted name (Kew): Cormus domestica (L.) Spach View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Sorbus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Service Tree
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 15.00 m
Spread: 8.00 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [4]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6-10
Soil moisture:
Moist, Well-drained

Preferred growing conditions. Moisture and drainage are different properties; well-drained soil is not necessarily dry.

Sources [4]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Bee forage

Description

Cormus domestica, also known as Sorbus domestica, is a deciduous tree bearing apple- or pear-shaped fruit. The fruit is traditionally bletted before eating or used in preserves.

Bletting and preserves are traditional uses. RHS also cautions against eating ornamental fruit.

Sources [3] [4] [1]

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Crown

Crown shape: Broad pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyDescriptionBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Sorbus domestica L., name ID 2991824, row 1434535; Cormus domestica (L.) Spach, name ID 2943915, row 1434501
    • Description: wcvp_names.csv; name, author, status, accepted_plant_name_id and hybrid_formula columns; see per-proposal row records where provided
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 855534; name ID 2991335; Sorbus L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Sorbus domestica

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1241612, ID 4YBC2: Sorbus domestica L. (synonym). Accepted target: Cormus domestica (L.) Spach, ID 6B58W, line 2032392.

    Source checked on .

  3. European Commission, Joint Research Centre Sorbus domestica in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats
    Supports: Description
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Page 1; species description and Importance and Usage

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Horticultural Society Sorbus domestica | service tree
    Supports: DescriptionSoil moistureFoliage
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Description; Foliage; Cultivation; Potentially harmful, where applicable
    • Soil moisture: Growing conditions: Moisture; Cultivation
    • Foliage: Botanical details > Foliage

    Source checked on .