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Indigenous Service trees (Sorbus) |
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Thursday, 20 November 2008 |
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Here are two forgotten fruit trees, which thrive on poorer soils.
Their fruit was once much prized but their flavour no longer appeals to
modern tastes. They should be eaten when overripe otherwise they are too tart, but
today’s consumers are often put off by the mushy texture and brown colour.
Both are indigenous to the Dordogne and you’ll find isolated specimens
growing naturally in the Périgord’s woodland.
Service tree (Sorbus domestica or cormier)
A large tree reaching 15
to 20 metres in height, it
grows in the worst types
of soil, poor, dry and
even chalky. It looks
much like an ash tree. Its
hard wood used to be
much sought after. The
fruit, called cormes in
French (or sorbes, the
generic term for all
Sorbus varieties) looks
like small (3cm) pears,
which turn red in
November.
Many farmyards
in the area have
a Service tree and
the fruit is eaten
raw or made into drinks
and even eau de vie.
The fallen fruit feeds
the poultry and its
dappled shade is
also appreciated
in summer.
Wild Service tree (Sorbus torminalis or alisier)
Smaller than the
above variety,
growing to 10 or
15 metres, the
foliage turns a
lovely red in
autumn. The
fruit look like
drooping
bunches of little
olives and as
their more
domesticated
cousin are eaten
overripe.
Even if you
don’t like
them, the birds
adore them
and they will
cheer up the
garden on those
cold, damp
November days.
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Downtime 
