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Oxydendrum arboreum
Also called Sorreltree, Lily Of The Valley Tree, Sorrel Tree
Sourwood is a small deciduous tree native to eastern North America, the only species in its genus, valued for its late summer white flower sprays and brilliant red autumn leaves. It grows best in moist, acidic, well-drained soil in sun to part shade.
Oxydendrum arboreum ( OK-sih-DEN-drəm ar-BOR-ee-əm), commonly known as sourwood or sorrel tree, is the sole species in the genus Oxydendrum, in the family Ericaceae. It is native to eastern North America, from southern Pennsylvania south to northwest Florida and west to southern Illinois; it is most common in the lower chain of the Appalachian Mountains. The tree is frequently seen as a component of oak-heath forests.
The sourwood is hardy in the north and a worthy ornamental tree in lawns and parks. Its late bloom makes it desirable, and its autumnal coloring is particularly beautiful and brilliant. The leaves are heavily charged with acid, and to some extent have the poise of those of the peach. The leaves are also a laxative.
Sourwood is renowned for the honey that bees produce from the nectar of its flowers. Juice from its blooms is used to make sourwood jelly. The shoots were used by the Cherokee and the Catawba to make arrowshafts.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Oxydendrum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
