Just the Facts. Sourwood Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum): Leaves, Bark, Flowers Ideally, the planting location should be rich in organic content that holds enough moisture without becoming too soggy. The tree has laurel-like alternate leaves that are finely toothed and sour to the taste. 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. The botanical name means acidic tree. This tree grows to be 25-30 feet in height and has a spread of about 20 feet at full maturity. After its leaves drop in fall, scatter a fertilizer for acid-loving plants on the soil. The white-shaped flowers get opened, and the tree is very easily recognized. They are also a laxative. Fall foliage is red to reddish-purple. After the danger of frost has passed in spring and the seedlings are at least 6 (15 cm) tall, place the seedling tray in a shaded area in your garden. This tree is planted in groves for honey production; sourwood honey is delicious. We offer 3 days to report any problems with your order. 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. PDF Sourwood Tree, Oxydendrum arboretum - Fairfax Gardening Provide additional fertilizer in late fall to increase the soils nutrient content. It is the only guaranteed way that I have found of beating . 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. Gray bark with reddish tinges helps to identify sourwood trees. Sourwood Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) - 7 Gallon Pot Truly a tree with 4-season appeal, the Sourwood has lovely, lily-of-the-valley-like flowers and long-lasting fall foliage color that rivals the best of the hybrid red maples. In the wild, its bark often looks blocky like that of persimmon. First, the trees dont tolerate urban pollution and wont thrive in city environments. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) | Bryn Mawr College Another way to ensure a sourwood tree gets enough nutrients is to apply rotted manure or organic compost every spring. The sweet nectar and sap of the sourwood led to early colonists and Native Americans utilizing it for a variety of things. Being a tree which is native to Georgia they are adapted to our soil and want to live here. A sourwood tree's leaves can be chewed to help quench thirst, made into tea, or added to salads, soups, or stews. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. Its fall color is a spectacular deep red. In the early summer, the Sourwood blooms white fragrant flowers. The university does not review, control or take responsibility for the contents of those sites. Sourwood was introduced into the landscape in 1747. PLANTFILES. 6,649 views. Sourwood Honey is one of the most sought after honeys in the world. It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. The tree transplants easily when young and from containers of any size. 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. 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. Branches are narrow, elongate, decurved then swept upright, and persist after leaves. Bud death followed by new bud formation and more bud death results in witches' broom-like proliferation of branch ends as well as very crooked branching patterns. Oxydendrum arboreum, Sourwood Tree. View Map. The flower panicles are long and slender and can curve upward, with the urn-shaped flowers dangling downward. Planting sourwood next to black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) makes for a great fall color combination. By fall, brilliant red foliage covers the branches. Space sourwood 15 to 20 feet apart; the tree grows 25 to 35 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. This specimen is located at a residence 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. The Arboretum offers something for everyone in an unforgettable, tree-filled setting. Sourwood Honey Benefits and Its Nutrition Facts - Health Dedicate If you plant ten trees, four or five will die and half of the survivors will be unthrifty. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The tree produces 5-valved capsules borne on panicles that mature in the fall and release the very tiny, 2-winged seeds. Sourwood Tree Seedlings or better known as Oxydendron Arboretum. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Fall webworm is an occasional problem. Sourwood tree flowers are a creamy white color and bell-shaped. There are few sights that are as striking as a row of Sourwood in fall color. It produces small, persistent, tan, dry capsules. A thread in the Trees, Shrubs and Conifers forum, titled Oxydendrum arboreum seed germination help needed. Similarly, the edible white sourwood flowers have a fresh, acidic taste. The Arboretum has the expertise and advice to help you beautify your home landscape, improve your community, and advocate for trees. To grow Oxydendrum arboreum, keep the ground well-watered during dry spells. sourwood, sorrel tree, lily-of-the-valley tree. Trimming off weak-looking branches and leaving five to eight evenly spaced branches would be ideal. 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. Sourwood Tree Seedlings for Planting | 1-2 Feet Tall Live Tree Plants - Stunning Red Leaves and White Flowers (2 Trees) $42.96 $ 42. Sourwoods require a well-drained acid soil. Sourwood makes an excellent specimen tree, and can also be used in shrub borders with Rhododendron, Pieris and Leucothoe. 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. The leaves of the sourwood tree are oblong-shaped and have a leathery texture. Common names: Honey made by bees from its flowers is highly prized and . Sourwood trees are easy to identify in the fall due to their brilliant colors. Its honey, which has a medium to light color with heavy body, is slow to granulate. This plant prefers acidic, peaty, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade. It grows to about 23 metres (75 feet) in height. It is not snobby like some ornamentals which require fussing and tending. Birch Trees: Types, Leaves, Bark - Identification (With Images), Types of Trees With Thorns (Pictures and Names) - Identification Guide, White Oak Tree: Leaves, Bark, Fruit (Acorn) (Picture) Identification, Tree Fertilizers: When and How (Including The Best Tree Fertilizers), Sourwood Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum): Leaves, Bark, Flowers Identification Guide (With Pictures), panicles of creamy-white, urn-shaped flowers, Small or Dwarf Weeping Trees for Landscaping, Small Trees for Landscaping Compact Spaces. Taking Care Of Sourwood Tree Bright sunlight is a must for sourwood trees. Sourwood Tree - Trees - Gardenality.com 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. The trees characteristic growth habits are a slender trunk, narrow, irregular crown, and branches that droop slightly. The gourmet honey has a sweet buttery caramel flavor with a slightly peppery aftertaste. 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. He is an arboretum curator with over 30 years of experience. Usually, its best to call in professionals to deal with the pest problem. Sourwood tree can be identified by its flowers, leaves, and bark. The trees that make most nectars grow in north Georgia and western North Carolina. Let your sourwood establish for a year before fertilizing. Leaves contain oxalic acid and acidic to taste. . The dense, glossy green foliage appears in spring, and the branches have a somewhat weeping or drooping habit. Yields an oval-shaped fruit that is under " in diameter. How to Propagate Sourwood Tree How to Manage and Maintain Paulownia tomentosa, Pros and Cons of Planting Mimosa in Your Yard, 20 Florida Native Plants That Thrive in the States Heat and Humidity, 18 Native Trees and Shrubs to Grow in Your Desert Backyard. The Sourwood Tree is a tree that grows in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, North Carolina, and parts of Tennessee. long and look a little like peach leaves. Gourmet honey is produced by the many bees that are attracted to the nectar-laden flowers. 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. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. Blooms from June to early July, with fragrant white flowers on drooping stalks that look very similar to lilies-of-the-valley. The bark is red-brown with deep vertical furrows that separate flat, pointed ridges. Those panicles age into sweeping sprays of 1/3-inch oval, greenish-brown seed capsules which turn a silvery gray by . Flowers on sourwood trees are panicles of creamy-white, urn-shaped flowers that grow on one side of the stems and bloom in June and July. Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. Native Americans utilized sourwood branches for arrow shafts. The Sourwood Tree is a slow grower with an upright oval crown that is 25-30 feet high and 20 feet wide. 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. Sourwood Honey - The Best Honey in the World! - Bear Hug Honey Sourwood Nashville Tree Foundation