The flowers of the sourwood tree are white and blooming occurs in late spring or early summer. It makes an excellent specimen or understory tree or planted in small groups in a woodland garden. Sourwood requires an acidic soil that is moist and well-drained. Sourwood's bark is grayish brown tinged with red, and deeply furrowed with scaly ridges. Family The Sourwood Tree is a member of the Heath family of which there are 70 Genera and 1800 species distributed through the temperate portions of the planet. Features simple, elliptic or oblong leaves that are dark green in color and range from 48" long. The nectar-laden flowers are also a source of honey. Mix peat, composted pine bark or other organic material into the removed soil and begin refilling the hole, stopping halfway to water the roots and let the tree settle. Branches droop toward the ground forming a graceful outline when planted as a single specimen. Answer (1 of 2): Sourwood leaves are edible; they have a pleasant acidic taste. Looking for a source for a good sized, container grown sourwood tree to use as a focal point in a garden of primarily native plants. Resistant to fire. This article is a comprehensive guide to growing a sourwood landscape tree in your front or backyard. Sourwood Honey is one of the most sought after honeys in the world. The problem is we're rarely given a choice, as most nurseries . The juice from these flowers is usually used to make sourwood jelly. The sour-tasting leaves have short petioles and grow alternately on the trees stems. Too much cool air, humidity, and ground moisture can cause leaf spot fungi to affect foliage. Fertilize sourwood by adding aged compost to the dripline at least once a year. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. Common Name: sourwood Type: Tree Family: Ericaceae Native Range: Eastern and southern United States Zone: 5 to 9 Height: 20.00 to 50.00 feet Spread: 10.00 to 25.00 feet Bloom Time: June to July Bloom Description: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Suggested Use: Flowering Tree Flower: Showy, Fragrant Leaf: Good Fall Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day), Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight), Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Sourwood grows well in confined soil spaces with good drainage making it a candidate for urban plantings but is largely untried as a street tree. Fall webworm can defoliate portions of the tree in summer and fall but usually control is not needed. Keep the fertilizer at least 1 foot away from a young trees trunk; expand the clear zone to 1 1/2 feet for an older sourwood. Your sourwood tree prefers acidic, organically rich, moist, well-drained soils. It was used as a tonic, decoction, and even as a gum; medicinal uses include treating urinary problems, prostrate conditions, diarrhea, dysentery, and many other symptoms. Sourwood grows well in confined soil spaces with good drainage making it a candidate for urban plantings but is largely untried as a street tree. Its said that sourwood leaves taste like sour apples. Individual sourwood flowers are small, regular, symmetrically shaped, fragrant, and showy. A sourwood faced with combined heat and drought drops its leaves. Sourwood Tree Seedling gets its name from its sour-tasting leaves. It would be best to trim off weak-looking branches to leave five to eight evenly spaced branches. Sourwood Tree Facts: Learn About The Care Of Sourwood Trees By Teo Spengler Sourwood trees offer delight in every season. Growing in the upland forests of the southeastern United States, it is most abundant in the Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge mountains. The Sourwood Tree is a slow grower with an upright oval crown that is 25-30 feet high and 20 feet wide. Blossoms bloom on sender panicles and have a faint fragrance. Profile Video: See this plant in the following landscape: Cultivars / Varieties: 'Chameleon' Colorful fall foliage display. Common names: The Sourwood tree is renowned for its nectar, and for the honey which is produced from it. Size: City trees are usually about 25-30' at maturity. In addition, its attractive summer green and white colors and excellent fall colors create a focal point throughout the growing seasons. Scientific Name: Common Name: Scientific Name Pronounciation: Plant Type: Tree Plant Hardiness Zones: Plant Hardiness Zone (s): Usual Size: Flower: Bloom Time Notes: Leaf: Fruit: Wildlife: Natural Habitat: Propagation: Bloom Time: Also, keep a 5-foot (1.5-meter) clearance beneath the canopy by removing limbs from the tree. The tree produces 5-valved capsules borne on panicles that mature in the fall and release the very tiny, 2-winged seeds. The sweet nectar and sap of the sourwood led to early colonists and Native Americans utilizing it for a variety of things. Leaves from the sourwood tree are identified as lance-shaped with pointed tips and measure 3 to 6 (7.5 15 cm) long and up to 3 (7.5 cm) wide. The range of trees does well within its USDA hardiness zone 5-9, but there is little margin for error if you push outside the zone. Sourwood Care. After filling the hole and tamping down the soil, water the sourwood thoroughly and mulch around the root zone. by Ann Farnham, LLA The tree favored this month by the Ewing Environmental Commission is Sourwood, Oxydendrum arboretum, one of America's most beautiful native trees. Instead, you can collect the seeds from the brown seed capsules and start to germinate them in January. You should remove dead or decaying branches in early spring. It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree that grows to be 20-30 feet tall. Sourwood tree growth is fairly rapid. Space sourwood 15 to 20 feet apart; the tree grows 25 to 35 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. You can also use a tree fertilizer with an NPK rating of 10-10-10. The amazing honey from sourwood blossoms has a spicy aroma, sweet caramel taste, and pleasant aftertaste. The best way to prevent leaf spot is to avoid overwatering a sourwood tree and ensure it gets plenty of sunlight. Honeybees pollinate the flowers and feed on the sweet nectar. I'm also open to suggestion regarding other native trees that can tolerate a little shade and won't get much larger than the sourwood at maturity. Additionally, the tree produces small urn-shaped flowers that look like lily-of-the-valley flowers. You can find them growing in oak-heath forests, near riverbanks, and along roadsides. Small Business. Origin: US native - Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee - grows along stream banks. Place the young tree in the center, ensuring that it grows at the same height as before. Click here, then click on your county either on the map or from the list of counties below it. It has simple, alternate, 3 to 8 inch, elongated leaves with finely toothed edges. The sourwood can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 59. Shape the young tree to establish a single, strong trunk with five to eight evenly spaced branches beginning 5 feet from the ground. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. Sourwood trees can benefit from fertilization once a year in late fall. It goes by many other common or local names including sorrel tree, sorrel gum, sour gum, arrow wood, elk tree, lily-of-the-valley tree and titi tree. Keeping the tree healthy and stress-free with proper siting, irrigation and feeding is the most effective deterrent for these pests. The sourwood grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. It will take some supplemental watering when extreme dry weather sets in, but it can stand some drought conditions for a time. Twigs are seemingly terminated by a leaf and bud, but bud is axillary and minute stem growth is adjacent. . Read our Commitment to Diversity | Read our Privacy Statement. The branching pattern and persistent fruit make the tree interesting in the winter. Reportedly not highly drought tolerant, but there are beautiful specimens in USDA hardiness zone 7 growing in the open sun in poor clay with no irrigation. Sourwood is one of the first trees to turn fall colors in the Eastern forest. . Slow growth rate to 30 feet (9 m) in cultivation, greater in the wild. Sourwood Tree Fertilization Sourwood trees can benefit from fertilization once a year in late fall. Plant damage by borers like the dogwood twig borers or azalea stem borers can cause new twigs to die off or leaves to curl downward. Its interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. In addition, their relatively short stature provides plenty of interest at eye level and can be a great addition to your landscape. A tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of asthma, diarrhoea, indigestion. They hang on the tree after leaf drop and lend ornamental winter interest. The main consideration is watering newly transplanted trees in order to get them to establish themselves. Flowers are quite attractive to bees and the honey is highly sought after. Then its vital to prune the sourwood tree in early spring to encourage new growth and maintain its shape. The bright red colors stand out from other deciduous landscape trees that may be golden yellow or coppery-bronze. Deer browse sourwood twigs and leaves. It is native to North Carolina and can be found throughout the state, although more rarely in the low, alluvial plain. Sign up for our newsletter. Sourwood trees are easy to identify in the fall due to their brilliant colors. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Fall webworm is an occasional problem. The bark is red-brown with deep vertical furrows that separate flat, pointed ridges. "Sourwood" isn't exactly a household name, but if more people knew about this exquisite ornamental tree's charms, it would be as warmly embraced as Flowering Dogwoods and Japanese Maples. Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. They are dark green in color and have a sour, acidic taste. The attractive features of a sourwood tree are its pretty urn-shaped white flower clusters (panicles), stunning foliage that turns shades of crimson-red to reddish-purple color in the fall, and attractive red-brown bark. Fall foliage is red to reddish-purple. The botanical equivalent of operatic divas, sourwood trees (Oxydendrum arboreum) compensate for their temperamental quirks with four-season performance. Their trunk will grow as large as 50 cm in diameter. Fruits on sourwood trees are small oval, egg-shaped capsules with a yellowish or greenish color that mature to grayish-brown color. Leaves contain oxalic acid and acidic to taste. For an ornamental plant, the sourwood does not have huge levels of thirst. Its leaves are rich green and turn yellow, red, and purple in the fall. The sourwood spends most of its time in the understory of the forests, draped in the shade of huge canopy trees like oaks and maples. NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to Julie Janoski. There is a second act to the Sourwood season, when, with the onset of cooler weather and shortening days it bursts forth into a breathtaking display of burgundy and red. This tree is especially common in Southeastern US. Its fall color is a spectacular deep red. Features of Sourwood Tree A well developed Sourwood tree is capable of attaining a height, ranging from 25 feet to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 cm), with widespread branches that have a maximum spread of 20 feet (6 cm). Prune sourwood in early spring before its new growth starts. Sourwood is a pyramidal to oval tree that grows 25 to 30 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide. For general undergraduate student information, contact Dr. Rick Durham at (859) 257-3249, or rdurham@uky.edu. Occasionally young specimens have a more open spreading habit reminiscent of Redbud. A native tree of North America, the sourwood is one of the few endemic trees that is not found in other continents unless planted and has no related species. Small Business. It is perhaps most commonly found on rocky wooded slopes in the Appalachian Mountains, often growing in combination with other heath family members that share the same acidic soil preferences. Culture: Sun to part shade. The simple leaves have a conspicuous midrib and fine feather-like veining. Alternatively, you can cut the webs down and drop them in a bucket of soapy water to kill the caterpillars. Gourmet honey is produced by the many bees that are attracted to the nectar-laden flowers. A native tree of North America, the sourwood is one of the few endemic trees that is not found in other continents unless planted and has no related species. Moderately resistant to deer damage. Unlike most ornamental trees, the sourwood does not have many cultivars. For undergraduate student information regarding the Sustainable Agriculture program, contact Dr. Krista Jacobsen at (859) 257-3921, or krista.jacobsen@uky.edu. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status. The forest floor is covered in fallen leaves, which break down into leaf mold; this is the fungal material of decomposing leaves. The canopy is high enough that there would be plenty of daylight and air circulation. N-318 Ag Sciences Center University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40546-0091, Fax (Lexington): 859-257-2859 (Princeton): 270-365-2667. Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. Her thousands of published articles cover topics from travel and gardening to pet care and technology. Passionate for travel and the well-written word, Judy Wolfe is a professional writer with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Cal Poly Pomona and a certificate in advanced floral design. Sourwood tree bark has recognizable deep furrows with patterns resembling alligator hide. oxydendrum arboretum sourwood Share: facebook twitter pinterest googleplus linkedin James R. Fazio Sourwood vector illustration. Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. Green leaves in the summer in Moore County. If you are planting sourwood trees, youll do best to grow them in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Then sprinkle the fine seeds over the soil, mist with water, and cover with plastic. A million members, donors, and partners support our programs to make our world greener and healthier. Grow it as a specimen, with a layer of mulch protecting its root zone from volunteering competitors. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Its place in the ecosystem as an understory tree really allows it to be the understated underdog while making a visual impression that will be sure to win your heart. Also, weevils (Conotrachelus anaglypticus) can damage new growth like buds, shoots, and leaves. Prepared by Mary P. Tucker for the Georgia Native Plant Society. Why such a poor transplant survival rate? PLANTFILES. If there are issues with low bloom production, you might consider testing your soil for deficiencies, but until the tree is mature enough to set blooms, time and patience are your best friend. A sourwood tree can live for 75 to 100 years with the proper care and attention. 96. The name sourwood comes from the trees bitter yet edible foliage. Sourwood is occasionally used as an ornamental because of its brilliant fall color and mid-summer flowers. Caterpillar damage usually results in leaf loss. During summer, long panicles of distinctive creamy-white bell-shaped fragrant flowers help to identify the tree. WARNING: Some websites to which these materials provide links for the convenience of users are not managed by the University of Kentucky. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade. Leaves are rich green, turning yellow, red and purple in fall. Pruning should be done annually in the fall, and you will want to cut the branches to establish a narrow crown on a single slender leader. These flowers also provide the nectar for bees and the very tasty and sought out sourwood honey. There arent any serious insect or disease problems. White fragrant flowers in early summer. Sourwood, (Oxydendrum Arboreum), excellent fall color, slightly fragrant flowers, low maintenance, planting zones 5-9, blooms June-July WoodenFishFarms (703) $31.95 100 Lily of the Valley Sourwood Seeds (Oxydendrum arboreum) | Honey Bee Tree AllSunshineGardening (2,374) $2.95 FREE shipping The name Sourwood is derived from the acrid taste of its leaves, but tea made from these leaves is widely used by mountain climbers as a thirst-quencher. Because of this, it is adaptable to various light conditions which makes it incredible versatile as invaluable in ornamental horticulture. Stems are slender, glabrous or sparingly pubescent, and do not go dormant in the winter. The trees characteristic growth habits are a slender trunk, narrow, irregular crown, and branches that droop slightly. It is not snobby like some ornamentals which require fussing and tending. sourwood, sorrel tree, lily-of-the-valley tree. Sourwoods require a well-drained acid soil. The main types of pests affecting a sourwood tree are borers, weevils, webworms, and caterpillars. Sourwood Trees have a reputation of being very difficult to grow in domestication. The growth rate is 2-3 feet each year. Unfortunately, this feeding habit causes new sprouts and stems to die back, resulting in poor growth. Once the seedlings appear, apply a diluted acidic fertilizer for seedlings every two weeks.