Image of Snowy Mespilus

Description:

Slo.: marna hruica - Habitat: Road side, steep rocky slope, southwest oriented, light mixed forest, dominant trees Picea abies, Pinus nigra, Pinus mugo, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus ornus; calcareous ground; relatively warm and moist place; full sun; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 4-6 deg C, elevation 1.140 m (3.750 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. - Substratum: soil. - Comment: For me Amelanchier ovalis is one of the most beautiful bushes in Slovenia. Nothing similar exists, so the determination is easy and no confusion possible. The white flowers, which appear before the leaves fully develop, along with white hairy juvenile leafs give to the plant unique tender, bright and soft looking appearance. In spring the bushes looks like snowballs (English name!) in midst of fresh greenery of developing leaves of beeches and other broad-leafed trees. Where combined with dark colors of conifers they offer wonderful scenes. Fruits, which ripe in autumn, are edible. - Amelanchier ovalisis grows all over Slovenia (except in its northeast plains and hills) and in the whole Alps in general as well as in other European mountains. On several places in Slovenia the bushes form extendad beautiful stands; nevertheless, the plant photographed on Predil pass was solitary. - Ref.: (1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1. Haupt (2004), p 800. (2) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora sterreich Liechtenstein, Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 532. (3) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije, Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007) (in Slovene), p 281. (4) Rothmaler 3, Exkursionsflora von Deutschland, 11. Aufl., Elsevier, Spectrum (2007), p 267.