Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. They are elliptic to oval or oblong-lanceolate, acute, minnutely serrulate, accuminate, and broadly cuneate. Read our Commitment to Diversity | Read our Privacy Statement. A thread in the Trees, Shrubs and Conifers forum, titled Oxydendrum arboreum seed germination help needed. After its leaves drop in fall, scatter a fertilizer for acid-loving plants on the soil. Alternate, simple, finely-toothed, glossy green leaves (3 to 6 inches long to 1 to 3 inches wide) entire to serrate margin shiny and glossy, reminiscent of a peach or laurel leaf. Leaf spot and twig blight infrequently occur on the Sourwood tree. The Sourwood trees are native to the Black Mountains and Appalachian mountains regions that extend from the south of New York to eastern Canada. The common name derives from the sour taste of the leaves, which are finely toothed and glossy. Their larvae eat through and overwinter in the stem tissue. Sourwood is one of the first trees to turn fall colors in the Eastern forest. Also known as sorrel-tree or lily-of-the-valley-tree, its flowers are an important source of honey in some areas but it is of little value as a timber species. If you encounter issues loading this site, please refresh the page by using Ctrl + F5 if on Windows or Cmd + Shift + R if on Mac. They produce consistently excellent fall color, typically turning crimson red, but sometimes yellow and purple. Additionally, its helpful to remove any suckers or branches that grow near the trunks base. To take care of sourwood trees, dont stint on water. Most if not all issues that come up will either resolve themselves or be so minor that they can be overlooked as simply a nuisance. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade. Keep the soil evenly moist. sourwood, also called sorrel, (species Oxydendrum arboreum ), deciduous ornamental tree, of the heath family (Ericaceae), native to southeastern North America. Blooms from June to early July, with fragrant white flowers on drooping stalks that look very similar to lilies-of-the-valley. In summer, when most trees are done blooming, Sourwood will grace your yard with gorgeous lacy sprays of small, fragrant white flowers that resemble . Sourwood trees require minimal pruning when established. Another name for the sourwood tree is the lily of the valley treethis is because the bell-shaped flowers look like those of lily of the valley plant (Convallaria majalis). In autumn, you can recognize the sourwood tree by the rows of brown fruit standing erect on curving stems. The circle should extend beyond the drip line by one-half the distance between the trunk and the ends of the branches. Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. If you are planting sourwood trees, youll do best to grow them in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Plant in full sun to partial shade and dry or moist soil, but ensure it is well-drained. Sourwood tree flowers are a creamy white color and bell-shaped. Sourwood trees are relatively small, slow-growing, and reach 20 to 30 ft. (6 10 m) tall and wide. This tree produces fragrant, white sprays of flowers in early summer. Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. The name sourwood comes from the trees bitter yet edible foliage. Sourwood Tree Seedling gets its name from its sour-tasting leaves. The hairy capsules ripen in late fall and contain tiny seeds. The bark develops deep furrows and scaly patterns like the alligator hide-type bark of black tupelo trees. 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. Their trunk will grow as large as 50 cm in diameter. 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). It wont perform well where other rapidly growing trees block the sun it loves. Its interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. It has a slow growth rate, reaches a height of 25-30 feet, and can take 12-15 years to reach a height of just 15 feet. It is native to North Carolina and can be found throughout the state, although more rarely in the low, alluvial plain. Sourwood rarely needs pruning. Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) grows in the upland forests of the southeastern United States. Its leaves are rich green and turn yellow, red, and purple in the fall. Plant Clinic Manager. It is best grown from small container-grown plants. Prevent the problem with weekly watering during dry spells when its actively growing. Sourwood products were used to treat urinary problems (increase urine flow / diuretic), enlarged prostate, bowel . N.C. Sourwood trees are co-sexual (both male and female parts within each flower) with very noticeable and unique flowering structures. The normal standard of watering weekly for the first two seasons applies, at a rate of two to three gallons a week per trunk diameter measured by caliper at chest height. Oxydendrum arboreum, Sourwood Tree. Features simple, elliptic or oblong leaves that are dark green in color and range from 48" long. 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. Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, early summer, midsummer, early fall, mid fall, Oxydendrum arboreum (L.) DC. Copyright 2023, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. For undergraduate student information regarding the Sustainable Agriculture program, contact Dr. Krista Jacobsen at (859) 257-3921, or krista.jacobsen@uky.edu. 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. Leaves contain oxalic acid and acidic to taste. Sourwood Honey ~ Pure, Raw, Delicious. The flowers droop from the stem and have a pleasant, sweet fragrance. Another way to ensure a sourwood tree gets enough nutrients is to apply rotted manure or organic compost every spring. Water them during dry weather, even after they mature, since they are intolerant of drought. Plant the trees in full sun. In addition, the leaves of the sourwood are said to have medicinal benefits, helping with: Fever reduction Dysentery Asthma Nausea Kidney and bladder problems Webworm and caterpillar activity can result in tree defoliation. Deer browse sourwood twigs and leaves. Sourwood's shallow root system resents competition from nearby grass or plants. Bark is gray-brown and deeply ridged with the ridges often divided into a somewhat square pattern. Grow sourwood trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. It is the ideal ornamental tree when it reaches maturity when it can bloom after about its fifth season. 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. To care properly for sourwood tree, it requires well-drained organically rich acidic soil and full sun for best results. Wood is heavy, hard, and closegrained, but is seldom used as a commercial wood. A study by Markus Glocker at the University of Vienna, Austria found that sourwood honey is effective against "the opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus hirae", which can cause infections in people with weakened immune systems. The mid- to late-summer flowers are borne in terminal clusters of racemes which curve upward, creating a graceful effect at flowering time. 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. 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. Lets look in more detail at caring for a sourwood tree. By late August, it is common to see foliage of young sourwood trees along roadsides beginning to turn red. There arent any serious insect or disease problems. 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. 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. Honeybees pollinate the flowers and feed on the sweet nectar. The scientific name for sourwood comes from the Greek words oxys (acid) and dendron (tree) and refers to the sour taste of its leaves. Order Your Sourwood Tree From TN Nursery Today Discover more about the small businesses partnering with Amazon and Amazon's . Sourwood tree can be identified by its large, glossy green lanceolate leaves that turn bright red to reddish-purple color in the fall. Sourwood trees are bee magnets! The tree does reasonably well in dry, neutral soils. During summer, long panicles of distinctive creamy-white bell-shaped fragrant flowers help to identify the tree. 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. After filling the hole and tamping down the soil, water the sourwood thoroughly and mulch around the root zone. They have a sour taste, hence the common name. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut. Flowers have a 5 lobed calyx and an urceolate corolla that is finely downy, white, 5-lobed, and minute. 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. Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Sycamore diseases. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, you'll want to learn more sourwood tree information. Sourwood is an attractive tree with white flowers that bloom in early summer and excellent fall color. Techniques have been described for sourwood seed collection, storage, and germination (2,5,14). Catch up on Prairifire Flowering Crabapple: Rose of the Tree World. Sourwood Tree Facts: Learn About The Care Of Sourwood Trees By Teo Spengler Sourwood trees offer delight in every season. Small Business. Prune out infected branch tips and fertilize. Then make sure that the location is in full sun for best results. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. Unlike most ornamental trees, the sourwood does not have many cultivars. On first-year shoots, the bark is often bright red. 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. The best way to get rid of caterpillars is to handpick them and kill them in soapy water. Click here, then click on your county either on the map or from the list of counties below it. 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 This tree is especially common in Southeastern US. Gray bark with reddish tinges helps to identify sourwood trees. The sourwood trees that honey bees will harvest on average grow between 33 to 66 ft tall. Prefers full sun. It makes an excellent specimen or focus of the center of a garden surrounded by native perennials. After filling the hole and. Grows to 25'-30', 20' spread. Keep the seedling tray in a warm place and under a fluorescent lamp for 24 hours a day. Slow growth rate to 30 feet (9 m) in cultivation, greater in the wild. Sourwood tree growth is fairly rapid. Sourwoods are not drought-tolerant plants and require plenty of moisture during the growing seasons. We offer 3 days to report any problems with your order. It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. Once the seedlings appear, apply a diluted acidic fertilizer for seedlings every two weeks. The growth rate is 2-3 feet each year. A properly watered sourwood can survive for more than 75 years. Five-valved brownish dehiscent dry capsules , 1/3 to 1/2 inch long, that ripen to silver-gray in September and October. Native Americans utilized sourwood branches for arrow shafts. Hardy in planting zones 4-9. Growing in the upland forests of the southeastern United States, it is most abundant in the Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge mountains. N-318 Ag Sciences Center University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40546-0091, Fax (Lexington): 859-257-2859 (Princeton): 270-365-2667. When a sourwood tree is young, it's important to trim it down so that it develops into a stunning form. Space sourwood 15 to 20 feet apart; the tree grows 25 to 35 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. Because sourwoods grow well in partial shade, they are excellent under-story trees. sourwood, sorrel tree, lily-of-the-valley tree. Instead, you can collect the seeds from the brown seed capsules and start to germinate them in January. The flowers themselves have a slight fragrance and are 1/4" long. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. HU-278742553. Honey made by bees from its flowers is highly prized and . The white-shaped flowers get opened, and the tree is very easily recognized. Sourwood tree bark has recognizable deep furrows with patterns resembling alligator hide.