Trish51, it is pretty difficult to answer this one without knowing more about the conditions in which the tree is growing.

Firstly, though, as it is a new tree it will not have fully established (I would imagine). In the first season it would require plenty of moisture to get it established. Have you had prolonged dry weather and was the tree allowed to dry out around its roots?

There is a disease called fireblight which affects rowans (among other things) and although I have never experienced it, you might want to check for signs:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=160

The link above will give you more info.

The weather this year has been extremely strange. We started with a really severe winter, a fairly good spring followed by a poor late spring and rubbish summer. My rowan in the west of Scotland flowered very early this year and has had fruit for a long time. My granny used to tell me this was a sign of a bad winter on the way!

If the stem of the tree seems fine and it is indeed weather damage, things should come good once the tree is a little older. So, don't give up hope yet.

Thank you very much for your information.
I will check out the link you sent to me. I live northwest. We did have a dry spell earlier on in 'summer' and I hope I didnt let the roots of this baby rowan approx 6ft high dry out!!

The stem seems fine so fingers crossed.

I appreciate your reply.

Regards

Trish

Trish51, don't know if you have been hearing of the 'double Autumn' that we can expect. It has been explained that because of the weather conditions, trees and shrubs are changing colour and shedding their leaves early this year.

No I hadnt heard of double autumn. It sounds right though for the differences in temperatures we are experiencing this year. I will bear that in mind too.
Many thanks to you all for your replies I will let you know come next year how my baby rowan is doing.
I had never used this site before. its great.