Copyright 2020, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Should I skirt them as they grow to the ground and I have noticed moss under them. 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. 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. Although they will tolerate partial shade, you’ll get less flowers and the fall color will not be as bright. 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. In its native habitat Sourwood can grow up to 60' x 100'. The tree does reasonably well in dry, neutral soils. Growing sourwood tree: Sourwood will be undaunted by pests, diseases, or minor cultural problems if it gets the well-drained, acid soil it requires. For general undergraduate student information, contact Dr. Rick Durham at (859) 257-3249, or rdurham@uky.edu. Sourwood trees, also called sorrel trees, offer delight in every season, with flowers in summer, brilliant color in fall and ornamental seed pods in winter. A young sourwood tree may begin to flower when it is only 3 to 4 feet tall. Leaf spot diseases should be taken seriously if they result in moderate to complete leaf loss two to four years in a row. Sourwood makes an excellent specimen tree, and can also be used in shrub borders with Rhododendron, Pieris and Leucothoe. Grow sourwood trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. If left on their own, sourwood can develop poor architecture and become aesthetically less pleasing. I have two Sourwood trees growing. Older trees will display blocky bark that add interest to a winter landscape. Sourwood was introduced into the landscape in 1747. They hang on the tree after leaf drop and lend ornamental winter interest. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. 04-28-2015, 07:18 PM #5 GaryG74 Oxydendrum arboretum, Sourwood Tree By: Ginny Rosenkranz, University of Maryland Extension. If you are considering planting sourwood trees, you’ll be glad to learn that the foliage produces excellent fall color, consistently turning a bright crimson. The name Sourwood is derived from the acrid taste of its leaves, but tea made from these leaves is widely used by mountain climbers as a ⦠If you’ve never heard of sourwood trees, you have missed out on one of the most beautiful native species. 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. Water them during dry weather, even after they mature, since they are intolerant of drought. Lumber is used for tool handles and was once used to make wagon sled runners. I ⦠Site design : Academic Web Pages. Sourwood tree growth is fairly rapid. 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It has a few pest or disease problems such as webworm and twig blight, but is easily treated. It’s interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. 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. It is rumored that the Cherokee and Catawba tribes used the flower shoots for arrow shafts. This medium-sized tree is slow growing, but once it starts to reach its height at maturity (up to 30 feet) the reward makes the wait worth it (hardiness zones 5-9). The trees typically grow 25 feet tall in your backyard, but can shoot up to 60 feet tall in the wild. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) grows in the upland forests of the southeastern United States.Also known as sorrel-tree or lily-of-the-valley-tree, its flowers are an important source of honey in some areas but it is of little value as a timber species. Sourwood Tree Seedlings typically grows at a rate of twelve to twenty-four inches a year. 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