Rowan Berries: Edible and Versatile

For a long time, rowan berries (Sorbus aucuparia) were widely considered poisonous. This widespread assumption is unfounded, as they are distinct from truly toxic berries. In reality, rowan berries are non-toxic and edible when prepared correctly.

Raw berries are quite bitter and should not be consumed in large quantities. However, when cooked and used in jams, jellies, or purees, especially combined with apples or pears, they develop a pleasantly tart-sweet aroma. They can also be used in the production of spirits or liqueurs.

The Rowan Tree

The rowan tree, also known as mountain ash, belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae). Under optimal conditions, a rowan tree can live for over 100 years. It is a smaller woody plant, rarely exceeding 15 meters in height. The berries get their name because birds readily consume them. Rowan trees are also an important food source for other animals like squirrels, badgers, foxes, voles, and deer.

Rowan trees are prevalent across almost all of Europe. They thrive in various environments due to their low demands on soil quality, including coniferous and deciduous forests, forest edges, along roads and paths, on fallow land, in mountainous regions, and often as hedge plants.

Rowan Berries

Rowan berries ripen in autumn, typically until October. The optimal harvest time is after the first frost, as this allows the fruits to fully develop their sweet-tart flavor. Harvesting should be done promptly to prevent birds from picking the tree clean.

Rowan berries are rich in Vitamin C, essential for bone and connective tissue development. They also contain Provitamin A, which the body converts into Vitamin A, crucial for vision.

However, the berries also contain parasorbic acid, which causes their bitter taste and is mildly toxic when raw. Therefore, raw consumption is not recommended, as larger quantities can lead to stomach discomfort, vomiting, and diarrhea. Cooking converts the bitter parasorbic acid into sorbic acid, which has only a faint sour taste and is well-tolerated by the body. Sorbic acid is also used as a food preservative in very low, almost imperceptible concentrations.

Certain rowan berry varieties, such as the low-bitterness ‘Edulis’ or the bitter-free ‘Rosina’, can be eaten raw.

Constituents of Rowan Berries

Beyond Vitamin C, Provitamin A, and parasorbic acid, rowan berries also contain malic acid, citric acid, essential oils, bitter compounds, carotenoids, tannins, magnesium, and pectin.

Medicinal Properties

Due to their numerous constituents, rowan berries possess various beneficial properties:

1. Appetite and General Well-being: They can stimulate appetite, provide strengthening effects, and act as a blood cleanser. They may help with gastrointestinal complaints, metabolic disorders, liver weakness, and Vitamin C deficiency.
2. Digestive System: Their tannins and bitter compounds effectively support the digestive system, helping with both diarrhea and constipation, as well as issues with bile function.
3. Antioxidant Action: Provitamin A acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals.
4. Kidney Function: Dried rowan berries are believed to stimulate kidney function and promote the excretion of kidney stones.
5. Scurvy Prevention: Due to their high Vitamin C content, rowan berries were historically used to combat scurvy.
6. Respiratory Health: Freshly pressed rowan berry juice with a little honey can be helpful for bronchitis and other lung ailments.
7. Gut Flora Support: Rowan berry puree can aid in rebuilding intestinal flora after bowel diseases or antibiotic treatments.
8. Various Ailments: A tea made from fresh rowan berries can assist with metabolic disorders, prostate issues, tonsillitis, sore throats, and hoarseness.
9. Spring Tea (Flowers and Leaves): A tea prepared in spring from rowan blossoms and leaves can help with stomach complaints and is thought to cleanse the bladder, kidneys, and blood.
10. Dried Flower/Leaf Tea: Dried blossoms and leaves can also be used for a tea infusion to alleviate coughs, bronchitis, and stomach problems.

Tips for Preparing Jam, Jelly, Puree, and Tea

• Crucial Cooking Step: Rowan berries must be cooked to convert the bitter parasorbic acid into the digestible sorbic acid. The berries are excellent for making jam, jelly, or puree. Rowan berry jam or chutney pairs exceptionally well with game dishes and also tastes delicious with goat cheese.
• Rowan Berry Puree: To make puree, wash the berries and soak them overnight in vinegar-water. Drain, rinse with cold water, then cook them softly with a small amount of water. Pass them through a food mill or sieve. The berries can also be mixed with apples or pears and seasoned with a little cinnamon and cardamom. The puree can then be filled into jars.
• Rowan Berry Tea (Fresh Berries): Prepare by pouring 200 ml of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of fresh rowan berries and steeping for at least 10 minutes.
• Rowan Berry Tea (Spring Blossoms and Leaves): In spring, use 1 tablespoon of blossoms and leaves, pour 250 ml of boiling water over them, and strain after 6 to 10 minutes.
• Rowan Berry Tea (Dried Blossoms and Leaves): For a tea infusion with dried blossoms and leaves, also use 1 tablespoon and pour 250 ml of boiling water over them.
• Culinary Use of Blossoms: The slightly sour, almond-like rowan blossoms can also be used effectively for flavoring sweet dishes.

Garden Application

As rowan leaves are rich in magnesium, they make an excellent mulch to improve poor garden soil quality.