Author Topic: question about sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) - (WARNING: picture heavy) (Read 2672 times)

Lanier_Lurker · « **on:** September 07, 2008, 10:13:16 am »

I had previously assumed that sourwood was dioecious. It is not.

One reason I made this assumption was that I have a number of (seemingly) mature trees that never bloom or produce seed capsules.

Why would this be?

WDH · « **Reply #1 on:** September 07, 2008, 10:59:02 pm »

Maybe they are late bloomers

. They should flower if they are mature, but there might be some issue that is not obvious that is preventing them from flowering. There is no obvious reason that I can think of.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #2 on:** September 08, 2008, 07:18:33 am »

I took a closer look at some of them yesterday. I saw a few small scattered blooms that looked like runts with no seed capsules, and I had to really look hard. I even got out the binoculars.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the amount of shade. Most of the sourwoods that I see with typical showy blooms are in full sun or minimal shade. My particular trees - being overtopped by large poplars, pines, and oaks - are very shaded and get almost no direct sunlight.

WDH · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2008, 09:38:18 am »

From what I remember, sourwood usually does OK in the shade. It is more of an understory species than a dominant canopy one.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2008, 03:38:12 pm »

Sourwood does great in the shade, but like most flowering trees, including dogwood and redbud, it will bloom better in full sun.

Banjo picker · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2008, 08:00:28 pm »

Hello folks, answer me this,,, what can you do with sourwood...any that live here in Ms are not very large and those that get a little size in the understory are as bent as a dogs hind leg.....I know they make good honey ,but I havent had my bee stuff out in twenty years...Really though does this tree have any merchantable value??? Tim

WDH · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:08:00 pm »

It's value lies as a source of nectar for honey to humans. It has many uses for animals, but animals don't think about merchantability.

Radar67 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:15:02 pm »

My little, crooked oxydendrum is still standing in the same shade with the leaves turning that tint of red, just as it was when you saw it at my place Danny.

Welcome to the forum banjo picker. It's good to have another MS hand present.

Banjo picker · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2008, 05:02:13 am »

Thanks for the welcome,,,,I didn't mean to sound sarcastic about the trees...but I seem to have more than my fair share.....Maybe I should ddrag those bee gums back out and see it the moths have eaten up my suit....Tim

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #9 on:** September 25, 2008, 07:06:13 am »

They have a beautiful fall color and are considered by some to be under-utilized as a landscape tree. As with most any tree (I guess), when grown in the open and not under canopy it has a less gnarly and better, upright form with a fuller crown.

I think they are somewhat difficult to propagate, however - and that may be why they are not used more in landscaping.

davidlarson · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2009, 08:41:14 pm »

I've been looking at old posts, and saw yours about uses for sourwood. My own experience - not book learning - is that sourwood is one of the easiest deciduous woods to split into firewood. It is medium dense for firewood when it dries, and I like it a lot.

David L.

WDH · « **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2009, 06:25:40 am »

I think that Dodgy sawed some a wjile back.

Dodgy, what did you do with the boards?

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #12 on:** August 21, 2009, 07:30:48 am »

The sourwood boards are dry now, and I just moved them into my storage shed a couple of weeks ago. They dried relatively flat considering that they were on the top of the pile and had very little weight on them. I'm sure I'll find a use for them somewhere down the road. I doubt if I'll ever go out of my way to say sourwood again, due to its rather bland appearance, but maybe I'll change my mind after I work with it!

Phorester · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:27:47 am »

Sourwood honey is indeed delicious. I look for it whenever we need more honey.

Jasperfield · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2009, 07:49:14 pm »

Sourwood likes fairly steep hillsides (road banks) and poor (but not wet) soil conditions. They also like full sun.

WDH · « **Reply #15 on:** October 27, 2009, 07:25:52 am »

LL,

Have the sourwoods turned that pretty dark red color yet up your way? They do not occur here naturally except in small scattered pockets, so I don't get to see that beautiful Fall sourwood color.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #16 on:** October 27, 2009, 09:46:05 pm »

Oh yes.

The ones that overhang my deck do not have very good color - I guess because they so shaded. Natural variation aside, I can only guess that the quality of the fall color may correspond to the amount of sun the leaves get.

The ones along the roadsides that manage to reach out and get some decent sun have incredible color. Unbelievable neon blood red. I should get some pictures. Along the sides of GA 400 up to the Chestatee River is quite a site with all the sourwood. I don't know that there is any tree with a better fall color. It is a shame they are so difficult (impossible) to propagate vegetatively. There are some stunning potential cultivars out there.

WDH · « **Reply #17 on:** October 28, 2009, 08:21:09 am »

A pic would be nice for us Fall-Color-Challenged

.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2009, 04:34:33 pm »

Here ya go.

I consider the color on this one to be marginally better than average. But it is not as eye popping as some I have seen. This one was close by and easy for me to get to.

The first picture probably shows some of the best detail

WDH · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2009, 07:41:35 pm »

Now that was definitely worth waiting for!

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #20 on:** November 03, 2009, 01:41:19 pm »

Here is another one I just had to get a picture of. This one is a little past peak color, and the lighting was not the best. But the blooms are still hanging on nicely.

WDH · « **Reply #21 on:** November 03, 2009, 04:59:40 pm »

We have very little color of any type this Fall around here, but that is not unusual.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:51:39 am »

I have been surprised at how showy some of the hickories are in this area. It is more the exception than the rule. Maybe 1 in 4 have a brilliant almost lemon yellow color.

WDH · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2009, 06:32:34 pm »

I guess it has not gotten cold enough to turn them. The ash leaves have just turned brown and promptly fallen off.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2009, 04:15:08 am »

Your white oaks don't turn scarlet red? Mine usually does, this year it turned brown right quick from being green a few days before. Our leaves fell off early this year because of early fall frosts. Probably a week early. Usually thanksgiving is the peek of color, it was getting pretty bare this year.

WDH · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2009, 08:51:31 am »

Sometimes the white oaks turn red, at least part way. Not much red yet. Still mostly green.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #26 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:27:43 pm »

My neighbour and I each have some large old white oaks that turn a nice scarlet colour. If it were not for the numerous and showy scarlet oaks in the immediate area they would really stand out and be more noteworthy. The past peak time for fall colour (in this area) is when the scarlet oaks really put on a show. They cling to their leaves long after the other hardwoods have dropped theirs.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #27 on:** November 12, 2009, 02:53:20 am »

My white oak holds it's leaves all winter as do young beech. I have a young beech in the back yard. Thankfully no disease yet. I only transplanted it from another back yard location about 20 years ago. Man, 20 years, 25 years goes bye fast. Sure glad I planted some trees around here.

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Author Topic: question about sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) - (WARNING: picture heavy) (Read 2672 times)