Sorbus torminalis or Sorbus domestica?
Sorbus torminalis (in German Elsbeere) and Sorbus domestica (in German Speierling) comes from the same family. Both can be several hundred years old, bear fruit, have a serrated leaf edge and the wood is very fine-pored, hard and elastic - ideal for a wooden comb .
The figure shows the fruit and wood of the service tree on the left and the fruit and wood of the service tree on the right.
May I introduce: here you can see one of the "beautiful Elsen"!
Serviceberry wood is rare and in high demand due to its quality and colour. The whitish-yellow to dusky pink wood is very fine-pored and medium-hard. We only use unsteamed service tree, as steaming makes the wood softer and loses its elasticity.
The smell when processing is pleasantly fruity, mild, gentle and relaxing.
The serviceberry wood that we use today comes from trees that were almost 300 years old and that stood in the Steigerwald until they had to be felled due to age. More than 20 years ago we planted several serviceberry trees on our property. It will probably be my children's grandchildren or great-grandchildren who will make the decision as to when it is time to cut down one of the serviceberry trees that have been planted. Until then they will give us countless hours of shade and plenty of serviceberry jam.
There she is, the "beautiful Else". Those who do not know the tree and only see the leaves may confuse them with the maple. At the latest when the small brown fruits, which are connected in umbels, can be seen on the tree, you realize that this cannot be a maple.
For us, tree and wood radiate inner peace, serenity and concentration on our inner strengths.
We are very pleased that the service tree can cope well with the current climate change and that every service tree grows and thrives here year after year.
The service tree (Speierling):
Service tree wood is hardly available in specialist shops. It is the decades of business and friendly connections that give us the opportunity to acquire the service tree wood, which is so valuable to us. A heartfelt thank you at this point.
Service tree wood is still harder, stronger and heavier than hornbeam wood. You can grind it so wonderfully smooth mechanically – almost like stone. Ideally, the wood has long fibers and is therefore very elastic. These are the perfect qualities for a wooden comb.
In the past, service tree wood was used in shipbuilding. Built into the ship's bow, the wood was intended to break the wave spell.
In looms, service tree wood was used instead of boxwood for particularly stressed parts.
In 2019, the service trees that we planted on our property showed something very special for us. Two service tree trees are less than 50m apart. The summer was hot and dry and I was surprised that one of the trees started shedding its leaves as early as the end of August, while the other service tree was still holding onto its leaves very much.
I talked about it with a tree expert from the forest in Erlangen and he explained to me that there are brave and cautious trees. The tree that lost its leaves so early was the brave one that must have sprouted very early in the spring.
He said: "this is how evolution works". A special experience and realization for me. Thanks a lot for this.
Now - at the beginning of June 2021 - 2 of our oldest service trees are blooming and one - the cautious one - is taking a few more weeks to flower.
How nice it is to live in the middle of nature.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful tree of all? The Else or the Service Tree?
For me both have their very own beauty <3
your comb maker
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