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. 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. If you are thinking of planting sourwood trees, you'll want to learn more sourwood tree information. For graduate student information, contact Dr. Doug Archbold at 859-257-3352, or darchbol@uky.edu, Sourwood - Oxydendrum arboreumHeath Family (Ericaceae). The centerpiece was a young tree with long, pendulous seed capsules hanging delicately from its branches. It's profoundly furrowed and scaly in texture. The leaves are used as a thirst-quencher by hikers and mountain climbers, and were once brewed to make a tonic. Sourwood, the lone species of the genus, is found in woodlands and along streams of eastern North America. This site was last updated on December 18, 2020. Sourwood makes an excellent specimen tree, and can also be used in shrub borders with Rhododendron, Pieris and Leucothoe. Small branches are mild yellow-green at first but change to a red-brown when the tree matures. Prevent the problem with weekly watering during dry spells when it’s actively growing. I thought about getting some sourwood trees but have heard they only produce nectar at very specific altitudes and under very specific conditions. A sourwood faced with combined heat and drought drops its leaves. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. Sourwood flowers are very attractive to bees, and sourwood honey is common in the South. 04-28-2015, 07:18 PM #5 GaryG74 The leaves of Sourwood trees help eliminate the feeling of dry mouth, yet should not be swallowed. The juice from the leaves is also used to make sourwood jelly. However pruning the tree properly when it is young will ensure it develops good form and structure. Ronald P. Overton. If you’ve never heard of sourwood trees, you have missed out on one of the most beautiful native species. To take care of sourwood trees, don’t stint on water. I think they would look better trimmed. Sourwood can be grown in Zones 5 (perhaps 4) to 9. If left on their own, sourwood can develop poor architecture and become aesthetically less pleasing. It is rumored that the Cherokee and Catawba tribes used the flower shoots for arrow shafts. They can grow to 8 inches (20 cm.) Sourwood products were used to treat urinary problems (increase urine flow / diuretic), enlarged prostrate, bowel troubles, diarrhea, dysentery, stomach ache, and fever. Leaf spot diseases should be taken seriously if they result in moderate to complete leaf loss two to four years in a row. Origin: US native - Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee – grows along stream banks. Ericaceae -- Heath family. European Americans used sourwood as a tonic, decoction, pills made from solid tree tissues, and as a tincture. Its honey, which has a medium to light color with heavy body, is slow to granulate. Just like diseases, tree-damaging pests to look out for depend on the type of tree and the region. 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. They hang on the tree after leaf drop and lend ornamental winter interest. Site design : Academic Web Pages. It is best transplanted in spring, and kept well-watered and mulched until established. “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. I have two Sourwood trees growing. 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. They are about 20 ft. high. Its interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. long and look a little like peach leaves. 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. The trees typically grow 25 feet tall in your backyard, but can shoot up to 60 feet tall in the wild. The sourwood tree can be grown in partial shade or full sun and is also free of pests! Here is more on this. 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. An Equal Opportunity University. It is 118 feet tall with a 2-foot trunk. The largest known sourwood in North America is in Robbinsville, N.C. I … Oxydendrum arboretum, Sourwood Tree By: Ginny Rosenkranz, University of Maryland Extension. The Sourwood Tree is a slow grower with an upright oval crown that is 25-30 feet high and 20 feet wide. Planting sourwood next to black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) makes for a great fall color combination. Here is a quote about sourwood: "Trees grow best in moist, well-drained acidic soils in full sun to light shade. For general undergraduate student information, contact Dr. Rick Durham at (859) 257-3249, or rdurham@uky.edu. Since your tree is a foundation planting, you might want to have your soil tested by your local Penn State Extension. 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. Plant the trees in full sun. U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness, Different Types Of Sorrel – Learn About Common Sorrel Varieties, Using Sorrel Herbs – How To Prepare Sorrel Plants, Sorrel Plant Uses – Tips On Using Sorrel Herbs In Cooking, Wintercreeper Control – How To Get Rid Of Wintercreeper Plants, Getting Rid Of Chinese Privet: How To Kill Chinese Privet Shrubs, Upright Boxwood Plants – Growing Fastigiata Boxwood Bushes, Problems With Butterfly Bushes: Common Butterfly Bush Pests And Diseases, Pears And Fire Blight: How To Treat Pear Tree Blight, Hardy Kiwi Diseases: How To Treat A Sick Kiwi Plant, Feeding Amaryllis Plants – Learn How And When To Fertilize Amaryllis Bulbs, Spruce Trees For Landscaping - Spruce It Up With Evergreens, Western Juniper Trees: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, Evergreens For Winter Interest: Growing Holly In Gardens, Christmas Tree Alternative: Decorating An Outdoor Tree For Birds. They are fairly low maintenance trees with only fall webworms becoming a problem. I am in RI and above their natural habitat but they are doing great except for the base of the tree being full. It is reportedly sensitive to air pollution injury. WARNING: Some websites to which these materials provide links for the convenience of users are not managed by the University of Kentucky. Provide the trees with generous irrigation all growing season when they are young. The tree grows slowly and only needs minor pruning attention. Sourwood Trees have a reputation of being very difficult to grow in domestication. Some decorative coasters have also been created using sourwood trees. Sourwood typically develops into a broadly conical tree with branches that droop toward their tips, giving it a graceful appearance. Read on to learn about the planting and care of sourwood trees. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! 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 Seedlings typically grows at a rate of twelve to twenty-four inches a year. Water them during dry weather, even after they mature, since they are intolerant of drought. Leaf spot diseases weaken trees and shrubs by interrupting photosynthesis. For undergraduate student information regarding the Sustainable Agriculture program, contact Dr. Krista Jacobsen at (859) 257-3921, or krista.jacobsen@uky.edu. In its native habitat Sourwood can grow up to 60' x 100'. It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. Size: City trees are usually about 25-30' at maturity. Arboreum in scientific terminology, is an attractive tree with branches that sourwood tree problems toward their tips giving! 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