Cooperative Living August 2023 - 14

BRANCHING OUT
The Sourwood Tree
A sweet-as-honey summer flower display
by Steve Carroll, Contributing Columnist
H
omeowners, developers and others who plant trees
often favor spring-flowering species. And who doesn't
appreciate those redbuds, dogwoods, serviceberries
and other early-flowering trees after a long winter?
But must we then wait for autumn's colorful display to
again appreciate our trees? Fortunately, the answer is no,
as several native species -
sourwood among them -
flower during the summer.
Sourwood (Oxydendrum
arboreum), also called sorrel
tree and lily-of-the-valley tree,
shows off dramatic sprays of
fragrant, quarter-inch white
flowers in early to midsummer.
These hang in clusters
from the ends of branches,
where they are visited and
pollinated by bees. After
pollination, small tan to gray
fruits that contain tiny, twowinged
seeds develop. These
dry fruits are sometimes held
on the tree into the winter.
Leaves are 4 to 7 inches
long, elliptical in shape,
finely toothed and sour to
the taste - hence the name
sourwood. Fall color is early
and spectacular, with leaves
turning red to scarlet to
dark wine.
As trees go, sourwood
is on the small side, often
reaching only 30 to 40 feet
tall, sometimes taller, and 8 to 12 inches in diameter. To
appreciate the tree's full possibilities, check out the National
Champion Sourwood in Amelia County, Va. This specimen
measures 74 feet tall with a 47-foot crown spread! (See
Virginia Tech's " Virginia Big Tree Program " website
for details.)
Sourwood's native range is fairly limited, stretching north
from the Gulf Coast to Ohio and southwest Pennsylvania.
This corresponds to Hardiness Zones 5-9, though this tree
often grows well outside that range. Sourwoods prefer moist,
12 ● Cooperative Living ●
August 2023
acidic, well-drained soil in full to part
sun, and typically grow in the understory
and along forest edges. They do not do
well in basic or compacted soil or areas
prone to flooding. They look particularly
striking when grown as specimen trees,
but also do well in groupings. This species
is in the same plant family as rhododendrons and blueberries
(the heath family), but it is somewhat unusual: Oxydendrum
is what botanists refer to as
monotypic - that is, sourwood
is the only species classified
in this genus.
Sourwood has limited
economic value. It can be
burned, and its hard wood
was once used for sled runners.
As mentioned above, it makes
a dramatic specimen tree but
can be difficult to find in local
nurseries. Without question,
this tree is best known and
appreciated for the quality
of honey produced when
honeybees gather nectar
exclusively from sourwood
flowers. Descriptions of honey's
taste rival those written about
fine wine and shade-grown
coffee. An online search brings
up countless taste tests and
ratings of different kinds of
honey, and sourwood honey
frequently shows up in these
" best of " lists. To cite one
example, in a taste test
conducted by the Asheville
Bee Charmer, a specialty store
in Asheville, N.C., sourwood honey earned the top spot. It
was described on this store's website as having " a bold buttery
sweetness on the front end, and a caramelized aftertaste on
the back end. " Another source described sourwood honey
as having notes of anise, maple and spice.
Maybe it's time to do your own taste test. 
Steve Carroll is a botanist and ecologist who speaks and writes
about trees, gardening and the world of plants. He is the co-author
of " Ecology for Gardeners, " published by Timber Press.
co-opliving.com
PHOTO COURTESY THE PLANT IMAGE LIBRARY VIA FLICKR
PHO
PHOTO COURTESY MRS. GEMSTONE VIA FLICKR
COURTES
MRS. GEMS ONE VIA FLICKR
PHOTO COURTESY
RYAN SOMMA VIA FLICKR
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living August 2023
