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. 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. Sourwood is an attractive tree with white flowers in early summer and excellent fall color. Sourwood can be grown in Zones 5 (perhaps 4) to 9. 04-28-2015, 07:18 PM #5 GaryG74 Most leaf spot diseases affect only a small percentage of the tree's overall leaf area, and are a minor stress on the health of the tree. It should be transplanted as a young, balled-and-burlapped or container-grown plant. The centerpiece was a young tree with long, pendulous seed capsules hanging delicately from its branches. Sourwood Trees have a reputation of being very difficult to grow in domestication. Sourwood or the sorrel tree is a beautiful tree with glossy foliage that soothes the eye and delivers a feel of eminent tranquility. Sourwood trees offer delight in every season. ... Butterfly Bush Problems With Butterfly Bushes: Common Butterfly Bush Pests And Diseases. This plant does not like to be transplanted so only do so with young plants. 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 … They are fairly low maintenance trees with only fall webworms becoming a problem. The tree grows slowly and only needs minor pruning attention. A young sourwood tree may begin to flower when it is only 3 to 4 feet tall. To take care of sourwood trees, don’t stint on water. Sourwood was introduced into the landscape in 1747. Water them during dry weather, even after they mature, since they are intolerant of drought. If you’ve never heard of sourwood trees, you have missed out on one of the most beautiful native species. Oxydendrum arboretum, Sourwood Tree By: Ginny Rosenkranz, University of Maryland Extension. Culture: Sun to part shade. Leaf spot and twig blight infrequently occur on the Sourwood tree. The scientific name for sourwood comes from the Greek words oxys (acid) and dendron (tree) and refers to the sour taste of its leaves. Sourwood's bark is grayish brown tinged with red, and deeply furrowed with scaly ridges. Family. This tree will not tolerate dry, compacted, alkaline soils or deicing salt, and is sensitive to root disturbance, so it is not ideal for urban areas. Origin: US native - Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee – grows along stream banks. Trees typically grow up to about 30 feet in height and 20 feet in spread. 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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. It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. Blossoms bloom on sender panicles and have a faint fragrance. If left on their own, sourwood can develop poor architecture and become aesthetically less pleasing. Sour-wood can be grown in Zones 5 (perhaps 4) to 9. I thought about getting some sourwood trees but have heard they only produce nectar at very specific altitudes and under very specific conditions. 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 … It's profoundly furrowed and scaly in texture. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. This tree will not tolerate dry, compacted, alkaline soils or deicing salt, and is sensitive to root disturbance, so it is not ideal for urban areas. The leaves are used as a thirst-quencher by hikers and mountain climbers, and were once brewed to make a tonic. Just like diseases, tree-damaging pests to look out for depend on the type of tree and the region. Ericaceae -- Heath family. Sourwood trees, also called sorrel trees, offer delight in every season, with flowers in summer, brilliant color in fall and ornamental seed pods in winter. The wood is also red-brown, with lighter sapwood. Copyright 2020, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. However pruning the tree properly when it is young will ensure it develops good form and structure. If so when should I prune the lower branches. For undergraduate student information regarding the Sustainable Agriculture program, contact Dr. Krista Jacobsen at (859) 257-3921, or krista.jacobsen@uky.edu. WARNING: Some websites to which these materials provide links for the convenience of users are not managed by the University of Kentucky. European Americans used sourwood as a tonic, decoction, pills made from solid tree tissues, and as a tincture. Sourwood is a deciduous narrow tree with rounded top and drooping branches. Leaf spot diseases weaken trees and shrubs by interrupting photosynthesis. Sourwood has no serious pest problems. Sourwood thrive along road cuts, often sprouting from stumps left behind. GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : Sourwood is a native, deciduous, medium-sized tree, 40 to 60 feet (12-15 m) tall [13,30].It develops a slender trunk and small crown in dense stands. Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. Common: Sourwood Tree, Lily-of-the-Valley Tree or Sorrel Tree. 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. Sourwood, the lone species of the genus, is found in woodlands and along streams of eastern North America. Sourwood typically develops into a broadly conical tree with branches that droop toward their tips, giving it a graceful appearance. Sourwood's wood is hard and has red-tinged brown heartwood and thick layers of pale sapwood. Like many other native trees, the Sourwood tree can be found growing in acidic soil, on wooded and rocky slopes. The Sourwood tree, also called the Oxydendrum arboreum in scientific terminology, is an aboriginal plant of North America. Sourwood has no serious pest problems. This plant (named for the sour taste of its leaves) forms a pyramidal tree to 30 feet tall, with canoe-shaped, glossy leaves that turn vivid maroon, yellow, or purple in autumn. This tree requires an acid soil and thus can be difficult to grow in northern Illinois. The leaves of Sourwood trees help eliminate the feeling of dry mouth, yet should not be swallowed. Irrigation is required during hot, dry weather to keep leaves on the tree. Prevent the problem with weekly watering during dry spells when it’s actively growing. Its honey, which has a medium to light color with heavy body, is slow to granulate. Sign up for our newsletter. I … “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. Some decorative coasters have also been created using sourwood trees. Read on to learn about the planting and care of sourwood trees. Provide the trees with generous irrigation all growing season when they are young. Leaf spot diseases should be taken seriously if they result in moderate to complete leaf loss two to four years in a row. I am in RI and above their natural habitat but they are doing great except for the base of the tree being full. Below is a list of some common pests you may be facing along with links for more detailed information. Size: City trees are usually about 25-30' at maturity. Site design : Academic Web Pages. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Its interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. If you are considering planting sourwood trees, you’ll be glad to learn that the foliage produces excellent fall color, consistently turning a bright crimson. They hang on the tree after leaf drop and lend ornamental winter interest. Click this article to learn about the planting and care of sourwood trees. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! The ideal soil is moist and rich in organic content. This site was last updated on December 18, 2020. The juice from the leaves is also used to make sourwood jelly. Ronald P. Overton. Growing sourwood tree: Sourwood will be undaunted by pests, diseases, or minor cultural problems if it gets the well-drained, acid soil it requires. Sourwood Tree Seedlings typically grows at a rate of twelve to twenty-four inches a year. If you are planting sourwood trees, you’ll do best to grow them in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. I think they would look better trimmed. Oxydendrum arboreum (L.) DC.. Sourwood. Although they will tolerate partial shade, you’ll get less flowers and the fall color will not be as bright. Should I skirt them as they grow to the ground and I have noticed moss under them. Sourwood flowers are very attractive to bees, and sourwood honey is common in the South. Here is more on this. For general undergraduate student information, contact Dr. Rick Durham at (859) 257-3249, or rdurham@uky.edu. Here is a quote about sourwood: "Trees grow best in moist, well-drained acidic soils in full sun to light shade. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) grows in the upland forests of the southeastern United States.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. N-318 Ag Sciences Center University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40546-0091, Fax (Lexington): 859-257-2859       (Princeton): 270-365-2667, For questions about home gardening, landscaping or commercial horticulture production, please contact your county extension agent. It is best transplanted in spring, and kept well-watered and mulched until established. Older trees will display blocky bark that add interest to a winter landscape. The flowers are white and appear on the branches in summer. The university does not review, control or take responsibility for the contents of those sites. It’s interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, you'll want to learn more sourwood tree information. It is rumored that the Cherokee and Catawba tribes used the flower shoots for arrow shafts. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Fall webworm is an occasional problem. Small branches are mild yellow-green at first but change to a red-brown when the tree matures. long and look a little like peach leaves. In the late Summer, drooping clusters of fragrant Lily-of-the-Valley-like white flowers add an interesting and unique look to the Sourwood Tree. The bark of Sourwood trees is gray with a hint of red. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, you’ll want to learn more sourwood tree information. Plant the trees in full sun. In optimal conditions, Sourwood Tree Seedlings can live for one to two hundred years. this difficulty can be overcome by studying the conditions under which it grows best. You may also appreciate sourwood tree information about the flowers, which are attractive to bees. It is 118 feet tall with a 2-foot trunk. In time, the flowers produce dry seed capsules that ripen in autumn. They are about 20 ft. high. The tree does reasonably well in dry, neutral soils. Sourwood products were used to treat urinary problems (increase urine flow / diuretic), enlarged prostrate, bowel troubles, diarrhea, dysentery, stomach ache, and fever. It is reportedly sensitive to air pollution injury. The Sourwood Tree is a slow grower with an upright oval crown that is 25-30 feet high and 20 feet wide. For graduate student information, contact Dr. Doug Archbold at 859-257-3352, or darchbol@uky.edu, Sourwood - Oxydendrum arboreumHeath Family (Ericaceae). In the wild, its bark often looks blocky like that of persimmon. Send mail to cgcass0@uky.edu with questions about this site. In its native habitat Sourwood can grow up to 60' x 100'. In the open it forms a short, often leaning trunk dividing into several stout, ascending limbs [].The inflorescence is a raceme emanating from a central axis. This medium-sized tree is slow growing, but once it starts to reach its height at maturity (up to 30 feet) the reward makes the wait worth it (hardiness zones 5-9). Since your tree is a foundation planting, you might want to have your soil tested by your local Penn State Extension. They can grow to 8 inches (20 cm.) Click here, then click on your county either on the map or from the list of counties below it. The trees typically grow 25 feet (7.6 m.) tall in your backyard, but can shoot up to 60 feet (18 m.) tall in the wild. The sourwood tree can be grown in partial shade or full sun and is also free of pests! 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. They kind of look like Christmas trees now. An Equal Opportunity University. Its roots are shallow and easily disturbed, so plant from young, balled-and-burlapped stock. Grow sourwood trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Sourwood makes an excellent specimen tree, and can also be used in shrub borders with Rhododendron, Pieris and Leucothoe. I have two Sourwood trees growing. Lumber is used for tool handles and was once used to make wagon sled runners. A sourwood faced with combined heat and drought drops its leaves. The largest known sourwood in North America is in Robbinsville, N.C. The trees typically grow 25 feet tall in your backyard, but can shoot up to 60 feet tall in the wild. Trees are slow growing and sensitive to air pollution, poor drainage, root disturbance, and soil compaction. " Sourwood Tree, Oxydendrum arboretum By Gretchen Spencer, Fairfax Master Gardener I saw my first sourwood tree about two years ago when a neighbor landscaped the corner of her property. Sourwood tree growth is fairly rapid. The common name derives from the sour taste of the leaves, which are finely-toothed and glossy. 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