Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum: The Bitter & Sweet Tree

Sourwood is a tree of contrasts. It's sour foliage supports many small summer flowers containing the sweetest of nectar.

This nectar is collected by bees and made into one of the premium honeys of the world. The tree was used for both arrows and medicines. Sourwood has little importance to most people until they see it as the earliest red color of fall. The flower stalks and fruit hang onto the tree deep into fall allowing the sourwood to be easily identified and enjoyed as a unique specimen tree. Sourwood is one of the most stolen trees taken from the wild, but the hardest to transplant and grow from cuttings. Sourwood is a special tree in need of care and consideration.

(SFNR06-11) 2006

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