Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Andromeda arborea
- Lyonia arborea
- Phonetic Spelling
- ok-see-DEN-drum ar-BOR-ee-um
- Description
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Sourwood is a deciduous, small to medium tree in the blueberry family (Ericaceae). It is native to the eastern and southern United States, from Pennsylvania to northern Florida and west to Ohio and Louisiana. It can be found throughout North Carolina, although more rarely in the low, alluvial plain. It grows 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide.
This plant prefers acidic, peaty, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of shade and dry soils and moderately tolerant of salt. It is intolerant of pollution and urban areas. A very ornamental plant, it will flower in 4 to 5 years after planting from seed. This plant does not like to be transplanted so only do so with young plants.
The bark is red-brown with deep vertical furrows that separate flat, pointed ridges. In mid-summer, fragrant, white, urn-shaped flowers mature on panicles. Fall foliage is red to reddish-purple.
Sourwood makes an excellent understory tree or planted in small groups in a woodland garden. It also serves well as a shade or flowering specimen in a native, pollinator, butterfly, or children’s garden.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Fall webworm is an occasional problem. Leaf spot and twig blight infrequently occur.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Chameleon'
Colorful fall foliage display. Displays shades of red, purple and yellow in fall. Upright habit. - 'Mt. Charm'
Leaves color early and present bright shades. Habit is symmetrical.
- 'Chameleon'
- 'Chameleon', 'Mt. Charm'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Chameleon'
Colorful fall foliage display. Displays shades of red, purple and yellow in fall. Upright habit. - 'Mt. Charm'
Leaves color early and present bright shades. Habit is symmetrical.
- 'Chameleon'
- 'Chameleon', 'Mt. Charm'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Oxydendrum
- Species:
- arboreum
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Bees produce a rich and popular honey from the nectar. Wood is heavy, hard, and closegrained, but is seldom used as a commercial wood.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and southern United States
- Distribution:
- Pennsylvania to Florida, west to Louisiana and Ohio.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- The flowers are attractive to butterflies and other insects. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. Old fall webworm tents attract invertebrates that birds often eat during late fall and winter. Flowers are quite attractive to bees and the honey is highly sought after.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Buffer
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire. Moderately resistant to deer damage. Heat tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Leaves contain oxalic acid and acidic to taste. A tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of asthma, diarrhoea, indigestion.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Oval
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Five-valved brownish dehiscent dry capsules , 1/3 to 1/2 inch long, that ripen to silver-gray in September and October. Capsules contrast well with the red fall color and provide continuing ornamental interest after leaf drop into winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Waxy, lily-of-the-valley-like, white bell-shaped flowers that bloom on slender, second on axis, drooping, one-sided slender terminal panicles (4 to 8 inches long) from June to July. Flowers have a 5 lobed calyx and an urceolate corolla that is finely downy, white, 5-lobed, and minute. The flowers themselves have a slight fragrance and are 1/4" long. The panicles persist after flowers drop and resemble long fingers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Rough
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, finely-toothed, glossy green leaves (3 to 6 inches long to 1 to 3 inches wide) entire to serrate margin shiny and glossy, reminiscent of a peach or laurel leaf. Young leaves have fine marginal hairs. They are elliptic to oval or oblong-lanceolate, acute, minutely serrulate, accuminate, and broadly cuneate. They have a sour taste, hence the common name. They produce consistently excellent fall color, typically turning crimson red, but sometimes yellow and purple.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Dark, thin, gray bark on mature trees is has light gray fissures, ridged and scaly, becomes blocky with age. On first-year shoots, the bark is often bright red.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, smaller than side buds
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are slender, glabrous or sparingly pubescent, and do not go dormant in the winter. Twigs are seemingly terminated by a leaf and bud, but bud is axillary and minute stem growth is adjacent. Buds are lateral or axillary, small (less than an inch in size), are conical-globose, and sessile. Branches are narrow, elongate, decurved then swept upright, and persist after leaves.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Understory Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil
- Fire
- Salt
