It is home primarily in the woodlands and along the water. Common: Sourwood Tree, Lily-of-the-Valley Tree or Sorrel Tree. N-318 Ag Sciences Center University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40546-0091, Fax (Lexington): 859-257-2859 (Princeton): 270-365-2667. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum. Similarly, the hickory horned devil caterpillar can attack sourwood leaves in late spring. The Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) is also known as the lily of the valley because of its beautiful flowers. Your sourwood tree prefers acidic, organically rich, moist, well-drained soils. Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. The Sourwood Tree is a slow grower with an upright oval crown that is 25-30 feet high and 20 feet wide. Blooms from June to early July, with fragrant white flowers on drooping stalks that look very similar to lilies-of-the-valley. RM 2M871R1 - Close up of red fall foliage and flowers of a sourwood or sorrel tree Oxydendron arboreum in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Sourwood trees are bee magnets! Sourwood Trees have a reputation of being very difficult to grow in domestication. Provide the trees with generous irrigation all growing season when they are young. The Sourwood trees are native to the Black Mountains and Appalachian mountains regions that extend from the south of New York to eastern Canada. It grows to about 23 metres (75 feet) in height. Sign up for our newsletter. 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. Bark is gray-brown and deeply ridged with the ridges often divided into a somewhat square pattern. Again, its native habit will inform you greatly to its preferred environment. Sourwood tree bark has recognizable deep furrows with patterns resembling alligator hide. The midsummer flowering and beautiful fall foliage make sourwood an attractive ornamental. Sourwood vector illustration. First, the trees dont tolerate urban pollution and wont thrive in city environments. Provide additional fertilizer in late fall to increase the soils nutrient content. Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. Bowel movements were also doctored using these leaves, making them regular and aiding patients during sudden, . Sourwoods are not drought-tolerant plants and require plenty of moisture during the growing seasons. It does well with the protection of other tall shrubs and trees and does not tolerate drought or urban pollution. A million members, donors, and partners support our programs to make our world greener and healthier. Flowers are quite attractive to bees and the honey is highly sought after. The trees characteristic growth habits are a slender trunk, narrow, irregular crown, and branches that droop slightly. You should remove dead or decaying branches in early spring. Finally, backfill the hole using the amended native soil. 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. 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. The white-shaped flowers get opened, and the tree is very easily recognized. You can then dig your hole for planting a sourwood tree. In addition, its attractive summer green and white colors and excellent fall colors create a focal point throughout the growing seasons. Sourwood thrive along road cuts, often sprouting from stumps left behind. Its honey, which has a medium to light color with heavy body, is slow to granulate. They are elliptic to oval or oblong-lanceolate, acute, minnutely serrulate, accuminate, and broadly cuneate. The largest known sourwood in North America is in Robbinsville, N.C. It is the ideal ornamental tree when it reaches maturity when it can bloom after about its fifth season. A fountain of flowers cascading from the treetops is the best description of the native Sourwood Tree, Oxydendrum arboreum. Irrigation is required during hot, dry weather to keep leaves on the tree. Common names: This tree has vivid red autumn foliage and tiny, woody fruit that persists into fall. There are many interesting facts regarding the sourwood tree. Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist and member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care. When fully grown, these products can reach 30-60 feet and prefer well-drained soils. Silvery seed capsules continue well into winter, after the scarlet- and-orange autumn leaves drop. Pennsylvania to Florida, west to Louisiana and Ohio. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) grows in the upland forests of the southeastern United States. 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 forest floor is covered in fallen leaves, which break down into leaf mold; this is the fungal material of decomposing leaves. The branching pattern and persistent fruit make the tree interesting in the winter. For graduate student information, contact Dr. Mark Williams at (859) 257-1758, or mark.williams@uky.edu. For undergraduate student information regarding the Sustainable Agriculture program, contact Dr. Krista Jacobsen at (859) 257-3921, or krista.jacobsen@uky.edu. "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. Trees in poor health seem to be more susceptible. Sourwood tree can be identified by its large, glossy green lanceolate leaves that turn bright red to reddish-purple color in the fall. It might hang over the front corner/porch a bit, leaning as even healthy sourwoods do. Leaf spot and twig blight infrequently occur on the Sourwood tree. 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). Fall webworm can defoliate portions of the tree in summer and fall but usually control is not needed. 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. Buds are lateral or axillary, small (less than an inch in size), are conical-globose, and sessile. 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. One of the most well-known products from the sourwood tree is the hard-to-find and incredibly delicious honey. Features simple, elliptic or oblong leaves that are dark green in color and range from 48" long. In the late Summer, drooping clusters of fragrant Lily-of-the-Valley-like white flowers add an . Julie Janoski. Twig blight kills leaves at the branch tips. The mid- to late-summer flowers are borne in terminal clusters of racemes which curve upward, creating a graceful effect at flowering time. Sourwood tree flowers are a creamy white color and bell-shaped. Small sourwood trees are usually planted as specimen trees to provide multi-season interest. Catch up on Prairifire Flowering Crabapple: Rose of the Tree World. The tree has laurel-like alternate leaves that are finely toothed and sour to the taste. The trees typically grow 25 feet (8 m.) tall in your backyard but can shoot up to 60 feet (18 m.) tall in the wild. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade. sourwood, sorrel tree, lily-of-the-valley tree. Sourwood tree fruit: immature (left) and mature (right). Fertilize sourwood by adding aged compost to the dripline at least once a year. Sourwood trees offer delight in every season. Is used by bees to produce highly prized honey. Digital photograph. Full Sun or Shade for a Crimson Queen Maple. It makes an excellent specimen or focus of the center of a garden surrounded by native perennials. Les Engles achieved Master Gardener through theCamden County Extension of the Rutgers Master Gardeners Program. Irrigation is required during hot, dry weather to keep leaves on the 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 very rarely noticeable if it is not in bloom. However, it can do significant damage to your trees leaves. UF/IFAS Electronic Data Information System, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The circle should extend beyond the drip line by one-half the distance between the trunk and the ends of the branches. To get rid of webworms, you can cut the webs open to expose the larvae to birds that feed on them. 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. Fall webworm can defoliate portions of the tree in summer and fall but usually control is not needed. After its leaves drop in fall, scatter a fertilizer for acid-loving plants on the soil. The name sourwood comes from the trees bitter yet edible foliage. Moderately resistant to deer damage. And the honey made from the flowers of the sourwood tree is prized by beekeepers and is often sold at a higher price. This tree is planted in groves for honey production; sourwood honey is delicious. 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. Sourwood has no serious pest problems. 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. 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. Site design : Academic Web Pages. How to Grow and Care for Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium), How To Grow and Care For Japanese Zelkova Trees, How to Grow and Care for American Hornbeam, How to Grow and Care for Canadian Hemlock Trees, How to Grow and Care for Japanese Maple Trees, How to Grow and Care for Osakazuki Japanese Maple, How to Grow and Care for 'Crimson King' Maple, How to Grow and Care for Chinese Pistache, How to Grow and Care for a Carrotwood Tree, 10 Poplar Trees: Pros and Cons of Each Type, How to Grow and Care for a Paperbark Maple Tree, How to Identify and Remove Tree of Heaven. Buy this plant from 2 Gardenality Business Profiles . Grows in Zones 5-9, Deciduous. After two weeks, you can transplant the seedlings to the ground. The best way to propagate sourwood trees is by collecting seeds, but even then, the seeds can be difficult to germinate. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, youll want to learn more sourwood tree information. By late August, it is common to see foliage of young sourwood trees along roadsides beginning to turn red. In its native habitat Sourwood can grow up to 60' x 100'. Sourwood requires an acidic soil that is moist and well-drained. The dense, glossy green foliage appears in spring, and the branches have a somewhat weeping or drooping habit. To plant a sourwood tree, dig a hole twice as wide as the trees root ball and the same depth. Choose a location with well-draining, slightly acidic soil to plant a sourwood tree. Click this article to learn about the planting and care of sourwood trees. The flower panicles are long and slender and can curve upward, with the urn-shaped flowers dangling downward. You can find the tree growing in the foothills and mountainsides. Fruits on sourwood trees are small oval, egg-shaped capsules with a yellowish or greenish color that mature to grayish-brown color. Gray bark with reddish tinges helps to identify sourwood trees. Excellent fall color. Usually, its best to call in professionals to deal with the pest problem. 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. They hang on the tree after leaf drop and lend ornamental winter interest. The Arboretum has the expertise and advice to help you beautify your home landscape, improve your community, and advocate for trees. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. Tea made out of sourwood plant leaves and flowers can cure various disease problems, including asthma, nausea, and fever. Locate the tree away from other plants, where its showy characteristics get the attention they deserve. 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.

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