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Oxydendrum arboreum
Oxydendrum arboreum (L.) DC.
Sourwood, Sorrel Tree
Ericaceae (Heath Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: oxar
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Tree with conical or rounded crown of spreading branches, clusters of flowers recalling Lily-of-the-valley, and glossy foliage that turns red in autumn. Open-grown sourwood is pyramidal and branched to the ground. If grown in shadier situations, the deciduous tree develops a taller, more columnar crown on a limbless trunk. Mature height usually ranges from 30-70 ft. The deeply furrowed bark is gray, tinged with red. Small, white, lily-of-the-valley-like flowers hang in rows from 6-8 in. spikelets, appearing after the leaves are fully grown. Pale yellow fruit capsules are almost as showy as the flowers. These darken and remain well after leaf drop in fall. Sourwood leaves turn a brilliant, deep-red in early fall.
Sourwood is an attractive ornamental throughout the year. Both the genus name, meaning "sour tree," and the common name refer to the acid taste of the foliage, although Sourwood honey is esteemed. Abundant in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 100 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Green
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AL , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MS , NC , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , WVNative Distribution: S. NJ & PA, s. OH, s. IN, s.e. IL, s. to w. FL & n.e. LA
Native Habitat: Well-drained woodlands of bluffs, ravines & hills; clearings
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Soil Description: Gritty, woodsy, acidic, well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: This is an all-season ornamental with few disease or insect problems. Flowering and fall color are maximized in the sun. Sensitive to pollution, soil compaction, and root disturbance, sourwood is not for urban areas.
Benefit
Conspicuous Flowers: yesValue to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Honey BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Propagation
Description: Germinate the minute seeds under mist or a plastic tent. Softwood cuttings treated with hormone should root well.Seed Collection: Seeds are tiny and hairlike, ripening will after leaves have dropped.
Commercially Avail: yes
Find Seed or Plants
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FACU | UPL | FACU | FACU |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Georgia Native Plant Society - Atlanta, GA
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE
Bibliography
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. WasowskiBibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Oxydendrum arboreum in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Oxydendrum arboreum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Oxydendrum arboreum
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-04-03Research By: TWC Staff