Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. Spread the fertilizer in a circle, beginning at the outer two-thirds of the branch spread. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. Sourwood is a beautiful decorative tree suitable for growing in full sun to partial shade in residential garden landscapes. Sourwood is not too site-demanding and has very few insect or disease problems, making it a low maintenance landscape plant. In the early summer, the Sourwood blooms white fragrant flowers. Just the Facts. FORUMS. Sourwood has no serious disease or pest problems. Shape the young tree to establish a single, strong trunk with five to eight evenly spaced branches beginning 5 feet from the ground. He is an arboretum curator with over 30 years of experience. Sourwood is important as a source of honey in some areas and sourwood honey is marketed locally. Sourwood Honey comes from the Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) a member of the Ericaceae family, also called the Sour gum, Sorrel tree or Lily-of-the-Valley tree.This showy, USA native tree is the lone species of its genera. Also, remove limbs off the tree to keep a 5 ft. (1.5 m) space under the canopy. Sourwood trees can benefit from fertilization once a year in late fall. The scientific name for sourwood comes from the Greek words oxys (acid) and dendron (tree) and refers to the sour taste of its leaves. Then its vital to prune the sourwood tree in early spring to encourage new growth and maintain its shape. It is 118 feet tall with a 2-foot trunk. 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 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 f lowering Sourwood can be difficult to transplant and performs best when purchased as container grown plants. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) grows in the upland forests of the southeastern United States. By fall, brilliant red foliage covers the branches. The tree produces 5-valved capsules borne on panicles that mature in the fall and release the very tiny, 2-winged seeds. last year. Sourwood can be grown in Zones 5 (perhaps 4) to 9. Site design : Academic Web Pages. It does well with the protection of other tall shrubs and trees and does not tolerate drought or urban pollution. Irrigation is required during hot, dry weather to keep leaves on the tree. Then remove the rooted nursery plant from the container and untangle the roots. Yields an oval-shaped fruit that is under " in diameter. Sourwood is a pyramidal to oval tree that grows 25 to 30 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide. You can find the sourwood from the coast of Virginia to North Carolina, over into Southern Ohio and Indiana, and down to Mississippi and Louisiana. Ideally, the planting location should be rich in organic content that holds enough moisture without becoming too soggy. The sweet nectar . Old fall webworm tents attract invertebrates that birds often eat during late fall and winter. 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. Prune sourwood in early spring before its new growth starts. The mid- to late-summer flowers are borne in terminal clusters of racemes which curve upward, creating a graceful effect at flowering time. Blooms from June to early July, with fragrant white flowers on drooping stalks that look very similar to lilies-of-the-valley. Trees in poor health seem to be more susceptible. Click this article to learn about the planting and care of sourwood trees. It might hang over the front corner/porch a bit, leaning as even healthy sourwoods do. Help trees thrive in the Chicago region and around the world. Sourwood trees are co-sexual (both male and female parts within each flower) with very noticeable and unique flowering structures. It is native to North Carolina and can be found throughout the state, although more rarely in the low, alluvial plain. Trees grow best in moist, well-drained acidic soils in full sun to light shade. A tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of asthma, diarrhoea, indigestion. This plant does not like to be transplanted so only do so with young plants. There are two issues to consider when using sourwood trees in the landscape. A sourwood tree can live for 75 to 100 years with the proper care and attention. 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). And the honey made from the flowers of the sourwood tree is prized by beekeepers and is often sold at a higher price. . Read on to learn about the planting and care of sourwood trees. Sourwood trees are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. Webworms create web nests on the ends of branches and come out to feed on the tender leaves. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, you'll want to learn more sourwood tree information. The Sourwood Tree is a tree that grows in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, North Carolina, and parts of Tennessee. Branching patterns and persistent fruit give the tree an interesting look in the winter. RM R8WEF4 - Sourwood tree, used by the Cherokee for arrow shafts, Qualla Reservation, North Carolina. Sourwood Tree Seedlings produce white flowers during the Summer months. As far as diseases, twig blight kills leaves at the branch tips. Called Lily-of-the-Valley and Sorreltree also. You can also use a tree fertilizer with an NPK rating of 10-10-10. UF/IFAS Electronic Data Information System, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. In autumn, you can recognize the sourwood tree by the rows of brown fruit standing erect on curving stems. It is home primarily in the woodlands and along the water. My Purple Plum Tree Looks Black Like Fungus: What Is This? Prune out infected branch tips and fertilize. 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. Sourwood is a pyramidal to oval tree that grows 25 to 30 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide. Mountain climbers often use the leaves from sourwood trees to chew on their way or make tea out of it as a thirst quencher. The best care you can give it is knowing what it likes and doesn't like. To ensure healthy growth, its vital to choose a fertilizer for acid-loving trees. Copyright 2023, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Sourwood has a deep and fibrous root system and has a reputation for being difficult to transplant or move. 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. Winter rains help the roots absorb the fertilizer and feed spring growth. They can grow to 8 inches (20 cm.) It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. It has a slow growth rate and no serious pest or disease problems. Instead, you can collect the seeds from the brown seed capsules and start to germinate them in January. View Map. The Sourwood ( Oxydendrum arboreum) is considered as an ornamental and shade tree. Sign up for our newsletter. N.C. Prune out infected branch tips and fertilize. Despite its grace and beauty, sourwood trees are notorious for being difficult to establish in landscapes. Too much cool air, humidity, and ground moisture can cause leaf spot fungi to affect foliage. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and other insects. "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. Sourwood Tree Fertilization Sourwood trees can benefit from fertilization once a year in late fall. Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. Water them during dry weather, even after they mature, since they are intolerant of drought. Buds are lateral or axillary, small (less than an inch in size), are conical-globose, and sessile. On first-year shoots, the bark is often bright red. Choose a location with well-draining, slightly acidic soil to plant a sourwood tree. The sourwood grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. Your support is vital to the Arboretum, where the power of trees makes a positive impact on peoples lives. Sourwoods are notorious for bad transplanting, so it's vital that you adequately water the newly planted tree. This plant prefers acidic, peaty, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Also, weevils (Conotrachelus anaglypticus) can damage new growth like buds, shoots, and leaves. The Sourwood Tree has few disease or pest problems and it can be treated effortlessly for the ones it does come across. It is not snobby like some ornamentals which require fussing and tending. Les Engles achieved Master Gardener through theCamden County Extension of the Rutgers Master Gardeners Program. WARNING: Some websites to which these materials provide links for the convenience of users are not managed by the University of Kentucky. Sourwood rarely needs pruning. It will have a slight fall off in fall color and blossoms as a result of not receiving full sun but will still be stunning. Small Business. . It helps to amend the soil with compost to increase acidity and add sand or gravel to improve drainage. This tree has a rounded top and branches that droop, making it appear graceful. When fully grown, these products can reach 30-60 feet and prefer well-drained soils. NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to Provide the trees with generous irrigation all growing season when they are young. I'm in the earliest stages of planning a house. During summer, long panicles of distinctive creamy-white bell-shaped fragrant flowers help to identify the tree. Sourwood, also known as Lily of the Valley, is renowned by beekeepers for the high-quality honey that their pollen lends. It makes an excellent specimen or understory tree or planted in small groups in a woodland garden. Below are common attributes associated to Sourwood Tree. In the wild, its bark often looks blocky like that of persimmon. Because of its famous honey, sourwood is also called the honey tree. To take care of sourwood trees, dont stint on water. Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. They have a sour taste, hence the common name. I want to preserve a nice mature sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum). 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. Sourwood Honey ~ Pure, Raw, Delicious. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum). Hardy in planting zones 4-9. Gray bark with reddish tinges helps to identify sourwood trees. . Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Sycamore diseases. Sourwood Tree. This tree has vivid red autumn foliage and tiny, woody fruit that persists into fall. Native to the rocky hills and understory of the Appalachians, the sourwood enjoys the cooler weather of the upland eastern seaboard but can also do well as far south as Louisiana. This tree grows to be 25-30 feet in height and has a spread of about 20 feet at full maturity. 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. This tree produces fragrant, white sprays of flowers in early summer. 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. Send mail to cgcass0@uky.edu with questions about this site. 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. 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. 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. This article is a comprehensive guide to growing a sourwood landscape tree in your front or backyard. This tree is especially common in Southeastern US. Capsules contrast well with the red fall color and provide continuing ornamental interest after leaf drop into winter. 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. 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. Her thousands of published articles cover topics from travel and gardening to pet care and technology. Sourwood Honey comes from the nectar of the flower on the Sourwood Tree, which blooms in July/August of each year . Also, the sweet aroma of the flowers attracts bees that feed on the sweet nectar. The abundant fragrant flowers give the sourwood tree a soft textured appearance when blooming in midsummer. 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. It prefers normal moisture but has some drought tolerance. But the best known by-product of the Sourwood tree is the hard-to-find and extremely delicious honey that bees produce from the fragrant blossoms. Common: Sourwood Tree, Lily-of-the-Valley Tree or Sorrel Tree. The name sourwood comes from the trees bitter yet edible foliage. (sourwood), bark. The lack of cultivars is because the nursery trade has raised the breeding stock and found many significant mutations to breed. Once the seedlings appear, apply a diluted acidic fertilizer for seedlings every two weeks. Reports show that using stem cuttings to propagate a sourwood rarely succeeds. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Honey from the sourwood tree is known as North Carolina's most famous . The leaves are heavily charged with acid and can be chewed (but should not be swallowed) to help alleviate a dry-feeling mouth. Only 1 terminal bud, smaller than side buds. Is used by bees to produce highly prized honey. 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. They are low maintenance, adaptable, have no serious pest problems, is sun or shade tolerant and drought resistant once established. Sourwood Tree Seedlings for Planting | 1-2 Feet Tall Live Tree Plants - Stunning Red Leaves and White Flowers (2 Trees) $42.96 $ 42. RF 2K10YG3 - A Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) and its very red leaves is fronted by . Fall webworm can defoliate portions of the tree in summer and fall but usually control is not needed. The flowers themselves have a slight fragrance and are 1/4" long. The flowers droop from the stem and have a pleasant, sweet fragrance. A sourwood faced with combined heat and drought drops its leaves. 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 require a well-drained acid soil. Sign up for our newsletter. Sourwood thrives in low-saline, acidic soil with a pH between 3.7 and 6.5 with consistent moisture and good drainage. It produces small, persistent, tan, dry capsules. Sourwood's shallow root system resents competition from nearby grass or plants. effective for aging men having kidney and bladder problems. The bitter-tasting leaves are alternate, stalked, rather oblong, and 12-20 cm (5-8 inches) long. Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Twigs are seemingly terminated by a leaf and bud, but bud is axillary and minute stem growth is adjacent. The simple leaves have a conspicuous midrib and fine feather-like veining. After filling the hole and tamping down the soil, water the sourwood thoroughly and mulch around the root zone. Sourwood usually grows as a pyramid or narrow oval with a more or less straight trunk at a height of 25 to 35 feet but can reach 50 to 60 feet tall with a spread of 25 to 30 feet. Then sprinkle the fine seeds over the soil, mist with water, and cover with plastic. They hang on the tree after leaf drop and lend ornamental winter interest. Oxydendrum arboreum, Sourwood Tree. Growing in the upland forests of the southeastern United States, it is most abundant in the Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge mountains. The trees characteristic growth habits are a slender trunk, narrow, irregular crown, and branches that droop slightly. Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. The sourwood tree is very rarely noticeable if it is not in bloom. It prefers full sun to part shade. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. FREE delivery Jan 25 - 31 . Several fungal diseases can affect the growth of a sourwood tree. Unlike most ornamental trees, the sourwood does not have many cultivars. sourwood tree blooms - sourwood tree stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images gone are the clouds, qubec, canada - sourwood tree stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Hooded firefighter cape in buckskin , Edo period , with family crest, sourwood flowers, 68x54 cm, resist dyed trim with smoked rice paste. The Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) is also known as the lily of the valley because of its beautiful flowers. Fall foliage is red to reddish-purple. Small sourwood trees are usually planted as specimen trees to provide multi-season interest. Honey made by bees from its flowers is highly prized and . The sourwood is the only species in the genus Oxydendrum. Sourwood Trees have a reputation of being very difficult to grow in domestication. Those panicles age into sweeping sprays of 1/3-inch oval, greenish-brown seed capsules which turn a silvery gray by . Their larvae eat through and overwinter in the stem tissue. 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. The flowers are white and appear on the branches in summer. The leaves are dark, lustrous green and appear to weep or hang from the twigs while branches droop toward the ground. Native geographic location and habitat: . A thread in the Trees, Shrubs and Conifers forum, titled Oxydendrum arboreum seed germination help needed. Leaves are dark, lustrous green and appear to weep or hang from the twigs. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade. It is the only guaranteed way that I have found of beating . The best way to prevent leaf spot is to avoid overwatering a sourwood tree and ensure it gets plenty of sunlight. Grow it as a specimen, with a layer of mulch protecting its root zone from volunteering competitors. The dark, thick, furrowed bark is a major winter asset. It will take some supplemental watering when extreme dry weather sets in, but it can stand some drought conditions for a time. When planting a sourwood tree, ensure that the soil is organically rich, acidic, and drains well. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. Choose the sunniest part of your garden and ensure that the soil is loamy and well-draining. Small creamy white or red lesions on branches could be a sign of nectria canker (Nectria galligena). The sour-tasting leaves have short petioles and grow alternately on the trees stems. Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. Its leaves are rich green and turn yellow, red, and purple in the fall. 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. Growing sourwood tree: Sourwood will be undaunted by pests, diseases, or minor cultural problems if it gets the well-drained, acid soil it requires. . After the seedlings have developed two leaves, keep only the strongest ones and discard the rest. Place the young tree in the center, ensuring that it grows at the same height as before. It should take three to four weeks for germination to happen. Store in a . The sourwood can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 59. Native sourwood trees are beautiful ornamental trees that provide visual interest in all seasons. Webworm and caterpillar activity can result in tree defoliation. The growth rate is 2-3 feet each year. Its vital to prune a sourwood tree when its young to help develop an attractive shape. Read our Commitment to Diversity | Read our Privacy Statement. The tree transplants easily when young and from containers of any size. Silvery seed capsules continue well into winter, after the scarlet- and-orange autumn leaves drop. Sourwood flowers are very attractive to bees, and sourwood honey is common in the South. Sourwood is one of the first trees to turn fall colors in the Eastern forest. They are dark green in color and have a sour, acidic taste. Honey Jar Mock-Up - Male hands holding a honey jar on a gray. It is reportedly sensitive to air pollution injury. Moderately resistant to deer damage. Taking Care Of Sourwood Tree Bright sunlight is a must for sourwood trees. Sourwood's bark is grayish brown tinged with red, and deeply furrowed with scaly ridges. To care properly for sourwood tree, it requires well-drained organically rich acidic soil and full sun for best results. In the late Summer, drooping clusters of fragrant Lily-of-the-Valley-like white flowers add an . In addition, the leaves of the sourwood are said to have medicinal benefits, helping with: Fever reduction Dysentery Asthma Nausea Kidney and bladder problems Lumber is used for tool handles and was once used to make wagon sled runners. You can then dig your hole for planting a sourwood tree. Why such a poor transplant survival rate? Keep the seedling tray in a warm place and under a fluorescent lamp for 24 hours a day. It gets its common name, Lily of the Valley Tree, because its flowers look similar to those of the Lily of the Valley plant. This virtually eliminates damping off as a problem. It is at home in the eastern and southeastern United States in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9. Tom Potterfield / Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. It is reportedly sensitive to air pollution. Similarly, the hickory horned devil caterpillar can attack sourwood leaves in late spring. Again, its native habit will inform you greatly to its preferred environment. The forest floor is covered in fallen leaves, which break down into leaf mold; this is the fungal material of decomposing leaves. Deer browse sourwood twigs and leaves. 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.