Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum (L.) DC.
Also known as Sorrel Tree or Lily-of-the-Valley Tree.
Mature Size: 30 to 40 feet in height and 8 to 12 inches in diameter.
Form: Poorly formed, often with leaning trunk and crooked branches.
Habitat: Forest understories with acidic, well-drained soils.
Leaves
Alternate, simple, elliptical, 4 to 7 inches long, shiny green above and paler below, edges very finely toothed, sour tasting when chewed; turning crimson in fall.
Flowers
White, ¼ inch long, urn-shaped, hanging below long stems that droop then lift upward, resembling lily-of-the-valley flowers, appearing in mid-summer.
Fruit
1/3 to 3/8 inch capsules, borne on long stems, turning brown and woody, splitting into 5 parts in fall to release very tiny, 2-winged seeds.
Bark
On very young shoots, bark may be red; on older trunks, becoming grayish brown, very thick with deep furrows and scaly ridges, often are broken into rectangles.
Twigs
Olive green, changing to red; buds small, round and pressed close to stem; broken twig smells like potatoes.
Values and Uses
The wood is brown, heavy, hard, very close-grained and compact. Although not considered a commercial wood, it is sometimes used for turnery, handles, pulp and fuel. Bees use the flowers' nectar to make a unique and desirable honey. It is sometimes planted as an ornamental for its attractive summer flowers and fall foliage.
Did You Know?
Sourwood often sprouts abundantly on cutover lands.
Last modified: Monday, 10-Mar-2008 20:23:30 UTC