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Sourwood has no serious pest problems. Sourwood's bark is grayish brown tinged with red, and deeply furrowed with scaly ridges. Fruits on sourwood trees are small oval, egg-shaped capsules with a yellowish or greenish color that mature to grayish-brown color. An interesting feature of sourwood tree bark is that twigs and branches emerge bright red before turning gray. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, you'll want to learn more sourwood tree information. 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. . You can also use a tree fertilizer with an NPK rating of 10-10-10. Alternatively, you can cut the webs down and drop them in a bucket of soapy water to kill the caterpillars. They are dark green in color and have a sour, acidic taste. It is the only guaranteed way that I have found of beating . Finally, backfill the hole using the amended native soil. They are low maintenance, adaptable, have no serious pest problems, is sun or shade tolerant and drought resistant once established. 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. Gray bark with reddish tinges helps to identify sourwood trees. Twig blight kills leaves at the branch tips. 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. The bitter-tasting leaves are alternate, stalked, rather oblong, and 12-20 cm (5-8 inches) long. If you are planting sourwood trees, youll do best to grow them in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Most of the critical pruning for sourwoods is when the trees are relatively immature. To propagate a sourwood tree from seed, you need a seedling tray filled with a moist potting medium. Instead, you can collect the seeds from the brown seed capsules and start to germinate them in January. 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. . You should remove dead or decaying branches in early spring. 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. Bark is gray-brown and deeply ridged with the ridges often divided into a somewhat square pattern. Pennsylvania to Florida, west to Louisiana and Ohio. In the wild, its bark often looks blocky like that of persimmon. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. The amazing honey from sourwood blossoms has a spicy aroma, sweet caramel taste, and pleasant aftertaste. It will take some supplemental watering when extreme dry weather sets in, but it can stand some drought conditions for a time. Similarly, the edible white sourwood flowers have a fresh, acidic taste. The white-shaped flowers get opened, and the tree is very easily recognized. The dense, glossy green foliage appears in spring, and the branches have a somewhat weeping or drooping habit. Sourwood is an attractive tree with white flowers that bloom in early summer and excellent fall color. The hickory horned devil caterpillar is a huge green caterpillar that looks aggressive but is harmless and wont bite you. White fragrant flowers in early summer. Occasionally young specimens have a more open spreading habit reminiscent of Redbud.Crown density: denseGrowth rate: slowTexture: medium, Plant Image Library / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0, Trunk/bark/branches: droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; not particularly showy; should be grown with a single leader; no thornsPruning requirement: needs little pruning to develop a strong structureBreakage: resistantCurrent year twig color: green; reddishCurrent year twig thickness: medium; thin, Leaf arrangement: alternateLeaf type: simpleLeaf margin: entire; serrulate; undulateLeaf shape: lanceolate; oblongLeaf venation: banchidodrome; pinnateLeaf type and persistence: deciduousLeaf blade length: 4 to 8 inchesLeaf color: green Fall color: orange; red Fall characteristic: showy. Place the young tree in the center, ensuring that it grows at the same height as before. It prefers full sun to part shade. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. The name sourwood comes from the trees bitter yet edible foliage. Its interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. 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. The sourwood grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. The sweet nectar and sap of the sourwood led to early colonists and Native Americans utilizing it for a variety of things. Oxydendrum arboreum, Sourwood Tree. 6,649 views. A young sourwood tree may begin to flower when it is only 3 to 4 feet tall. Mountain climbers often use the leaves from sourwood trees to chew on their way or make tea out of it as a thirst quencher. Sourwood tree can be identified by its flowers, leaves, and bark. It is at home in the eastern and southeastern United States in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9. Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. 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. Come discover lush, green landscapes, and find respite and inspiration in the shade of towering trees. Planting sourwood next to black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) makes for a great fall color combination. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. "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. Depending on the fungal infection, cankers can form on the twigs or branches, or leaf spots can appear on the foliage. The common name derives from the sour taste of the leaves, which are finely toothed and glossy. Sourwood - Oxydendrum arboreumHeath Family (Ericaceae). Sourwood trees are relatively small, slow-growing, and reach 20 to 30 ft. (6 10 m) tall and wide. Sourwoods are not drought-tolerant plants and require plenty of moisture during the growing seasons. There are two issues to consider when using sourwood trees in the landscape. Provides great fall color, with leaves turning crimson, purplish-red and sometimes yellow in the fall. Juice from its blooms is used to make sourwood jelly. 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. You might see the trees blooming in various regions also. One of the most well-known products from the sourwood tree is the hard-to-find and incredibly delicious honey. In addition, their relatively short stature provides plenty of interest at eye level and can be a great addition to your landscape. It is an early summer bloomer and gives fresh flower color after most flowering plants have faded. Sourwood is not too site-demanding and has very few insect or disease problems, making it a low maintenance landscape plant. Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; tree grows in full sunSoil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; well-drainedDrought tolerance: moderateAerosol salt tolerance: moderate, Sourwood grows slowly, adapts to sun or shade, and prefers a slightly acid, peaty loam. In summer, when most trees are done blooming, Sourwood will grace your yard with gorgeous lacy sprays of small, fragrant white flowers that resemble . Gourmet honey is produced by the many bees that are attracted to the nectar-laden flowers. A sourwood faced with combined heat and drought drops its leaves. RM 2M871R1 - Close up of red fall foliage and flowers of a sourwood or sorrel tree Oxydendron arboreum in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Tom Potterfield / Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Just like the leaves, these flowers also have a fresh, acidic taste. Leaf spots can discolor some leaves but are not serious other than causing premature defoliation. Their shape is reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley. This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 1324" per year. The Sourwood Tree is a tree that grows in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, North Carolina, and parts of Tennessee. PLANTFILES. Their larvae eat through and overwinter in the stem tissue. They produce consistently excellent fall color, typically turning crimson red, but sometimes yellow and purple. Heat tolerant. Lastly, add a 2 to 3 (5 7.5 cm) layer of organic mulch to help keep the soil moist and control weeds. The branching pattern and persistent fruit make the tree interesting in the winter. The bell-shaped, 1/4- to 1/3-inch white flowers crowd into panicles up to 10 inches long which dangle from the tips of drooping branches in midsummer. The lack of cultivars is because the nursery trade has raised the breeding stock and found many significant mutations to breed. Spread the fertilizer in a circle, beginning at the outer two-thirds of the branch spread. Additionally, the native tree does not grow in the wild in other countries apart from the United States. Culture: Sun to part shade. Small sourwood trees are usually planted as specimen trees to provide multi-season interest. The growth rate is 2-3 feet each year. The foliar diseases appear as brown spots on leaves that quickly spread to the whole leaf. Fragrant white blooms in July in elongated clusters. Bees produce a rich and popular honey from the nectar. It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. Sourwood products were used to treat urinary problems (increase urine flow / diuretic), enlarged prostate, bowel . However, there seems to be agreement that the most difficult problems for sourwood arise because of its exacting cultural requirements as stated above. This plant prefers acidic, peaty, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Sourwood trees offer delight in every season. Additionally, the tree produces small urn-shaped flowers that look like lily-of-the-valley flowers. The sourwood (often called sorrel) is a pretty little ornamental tree that is perfect for smaller spaces. Its honey, which has a medium to light color with heavy body, is slow to granulate. The fall color of sourwood is a striking red and orange and associated with blackgum and sassafras. Unfortunately, this feeding habit causes new sprouts and stems to die back, resulting in poor growth. It is tolerant of shade and dry soils and moderately tolerant of salt. Sourwood honey also has antibacterial properties. 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. Scientific name: Oxydendrum arboreumPronunciation: ock-sih-DEN-drum ar-BORE-ee-umCommon name(s): Sourwood, Sorrel-TreeFamily: EricaceaeUSDA hardiness zones: USDA hardiness zones: USDA hardiness zones: 5 through 9AOrigin: Native to North AmericaUses: recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; shade tree; specimen; no proven urban toleranceAvailability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree. It is home primarily in the woodlands and along the water. The gourmet honey has a sweet buttery caramel flavor with a slightly peppery aftertaste. A tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of asthma, diarrhoea, indigestion. Then sprinkle the fine seeds over the soil, mist with water, and cover with plastic. Irrigation is required during hot, dry weather to keep leaves on the tree. Winter rains help the roots absorb the fertilizer and feed spring growth. Gardening For Bees In Nebraska And West North Central Region, Ornamental Grasses Ohio Valley Gardeners Should Grow, Problems With Butterfly Bushes: Common Butterfly Bush Pests And Diseases, Pears And Fire Blight: How To Treat Pear Tree Blight, Hardy Kiwi Diseases: How To Treat A Sick Kiwi Plant, Feeding Amaryllis Plants Learn How And When To Fertilize Amaryllis Bulbs, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. N.C. The Sourwood Tree has few disease or pest problems and it can be treated effortlessly for the ones it does come across. 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). They are also a laxative. It needs 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day and the sunniest spot in the yard gets 4-5. . The sourwood trees that honey bees will harvest on average grow between 33 to 66 ft tall. 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 Fruit: Showy Tolerate: Deer For an ornamental plant, the sourwood does not have huge levels of thirst. The tree transplants easily when young and from containers of any size. It is the ideal ornamental tree when it reaches maturity when it can bloom after about its fifth season. Oxydendrum arboreum, or Sourwood, is a deciduous smalltree that may grow 20 to 30feet tall and a trunk 8 to 12 inches in diameter. The sourwood can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 59. Buds are lateral or axillary, small (less than an inch in size), are conical-globose, and sessile. Julie Janoski. With proper care, sourwoods can be ornamental overachievers. Once the tree is established you can taper the supplemental watering off and let nature take over. Locate the tree away from other plants, where its showy characteristics get the attention they deserve. Prepared by Mary P. Tucker for the Georgia Native Plant Society. "With no major pests or diseases, this native . Waxy, lily-of-the-valley-like, white bell-shaped flowers that bloom on slender, second on axis, drooping, one-sided slender terminal panicles (4 to 8 inches long) from June to July. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. Pioneers used the sap as one ingredient in a concoction used for treating fevers; the bark for chewing to soothe mouth pains; and leaf tea for treating diarrhea, indigestion and dysentery. Sycamore Diseases. The best way to propagate sourwood trees is by collecting seeds, but even then, the seeds can be difficult to germinate. University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Native Tree Series; Sourwood, GoLocalProv Lifestyle: The Best Tree You Can Plant This Spring, University of Tennessee Extension: Fertilizing Landscape Trees, University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences: Pruning Ornamental Plants in the Landscapei, The most important gardening tools you didn't know you needed. Flowers have a 5 lobed calyx and an urceolate corolla that is finely downy, white, 5-lobed, and minute. Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) with red leaves in the autumn. . Also, keep a 5-foot (1.5-meter) clearance beneath the canopy by removing limbs from the tree. It actually is because of the leaves, which are edible and leave a very sour taste in your mouth. Les Engles achieved Master Gardener through theCamden County Extension of the Rutgers Master Gardeners Program. For questions about home gardening, landscaping or commercial horticulture production, please contact your county extension agent. Descriptions and pictures of sourwood flowers, leaves, and fruit will help you see where to plant this stunning specimen tree. Blooms are effective for 3 to 4 weeks. It is of little value as a timber species but the wood is heavy and is used locally for handles, firewood and in mixture with other species for pulp. Leaves are dark, lustrous green and appear to weep or hang from the twigs. Only 1 terminal bud, smaller than side buds. sourwood. The brownish capsules measure up to 0.5 (1.2 cm) long and provide visual ornamental interest contrasting with the vibrantly colored red foliage. Its slow growth rate is appealing as this allows the wood to become nice and strong while staying manageable and making care relatively easy, and the best news is there are no serious pest or disease problems. There are many interesting facts regarding the sourwood tree. The tree transplants easily when young and from containers of any size. To grow Oxydendrum arboreum, keep the ground well-watered during dry spells. Another reason why the sourwood is so valuable as an ornamental tree in the landscape is because it does get seriously damaged by any insects or diseases that take up residence. long and look a little like peach leaves. We sell only container-grown plants in this species because of this limitation plus it reduces plant loss especially when planting orchards for honey production. Leaves contain oxalic acid and acidic to taste. Copyright 2023, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. However, it can do significant damage to your trees leaves. Can live 100200 years if planted in the right site. A sourwood tree can live for 75 to 100 years with the proper care and attention. Dead twigs and branches have sunken cankers. The sourwood tree is an ornamental deciduous small tree famous for its white flowers, lanceolate leaves, gray-brown patterned bark, and red fall leaves. Its said that sourwood leaves taste like sour apples. Prune out infected branch tips and fertilize. Even the straight species is difficult to find in the trade without looking for the plant in a specialty store. 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. The fall color is a striking red and orange which is rivaled by only a few other trees such as Blackgum, Chinese Pistache, the pears, and Chinese Tallowtree. By fall, brilliant red foliage covers the branches. Sourwood was introduced into the landscape in 1747. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. 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. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. This type of natural fertilizer helps increase the soils acidic content, which is what sourwood trees prefer. Old fall webworm tents attract invertebrates that birds often eat during late fall and winter. Excellent fall color. Sourwood trees are easy to identify in the fall due to their brilliant colors. One of the first trees to color in the fall it . The best way to prevent leaf spot is to avoid overwatering a sourwood tree and ensure it gets plenty of sunlight. Resistant to fire. Sourwood Honey comes from the nectar of the flower on the Sourwood Tree, which blooms in July/August of each year . Origin: US native - Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee - grows along stream banks. It is intolerant of pollution and urban areas. Features simple, elliptic or oblong leaves that are dark green in color and range from 48" long. Lets look in more detail at caring for a sourwood tree. A member of the heath family, Oxydendrum arboreum is primarily a hill country tree that has a range from Pennsylvania to the Gulf Coastal Plain. 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. It is native to North Carolina and can be found throughout the state, although more rarely in the low, alluvial plain. Size: City trees are usually about 25-30' at maturity. Those panicles age into sweeping sprays of 1/3-inch oval, greenish-brown seed capsules which turn a silvery gray by . There arent any serious insect or disease problems. It is not snobby like some ornamentals which require fussing and tending. The Arboretum offers something for everyone in an unforgettable, tree-filled setting. Read our Commitment to Diversity | Read our Privacy Statement. Space sourwood 15 to 20 feet apart; the tree grows 25 to 35 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. Being a slow-growing tree that takes a bit of time to mature, using fertilizer during the first five years will not do much other than stimulating limb growth. He is an arboretum curator with over 30 years of experience. This means that with the proper care, you can grow the landscape trees in states like Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas and as far north as Iowa, Illinois, and New York State. UF/IFAS Electronic Data Information System, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The flower panicles are long and slender and can curve upward, with the urn-shaped flowers dangling downward. A thread in the Trees, Shrubs and Conifers forum, titled Oxydendrum arboreum seed germination help needed. Sourwood trees can benefit from fertilization once a year in late fall. The sourwood grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. The sourwood grows to a height of 2530' and a spread of around 20' at maturity. Occasionally young specimens have a more open spreading habit reminiscent of Redbud. The leaves are used as a thirst-quencher by hikers and mountain climbers, and were once brewed to make a tonic. This plant blooms in early summer, and blooms up the axis. Techniques have been described for sourwood seed collection, storage, and germination (2,5,14). It is reportedly sensitive to air pollution injury. It prefers normal moisture but has some drought tolerance. That being said, here are a few of the rare cultivars to have actually made it into cultivation in the trade: Pruning the sourwood is a pure joy as it is very slow-growing, and the only worries you should have are pruning the tree for structure and establishing a single leader. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. The common name derives from the sour taste of the leaves, which are finely toothed and glossy. In time, the flowers produce dry seed capsules that ripen in autumn. The canopy is high enough that there would be plenty of daylight and air circulation. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade. Then make sure that the location is in full sun for best results. On first-year shoots, the bark is often bright red.

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