Sourwood trees

BrushyPines

5 year old buck +
I was doing a little hack n squirt on sweet gums this weekend and came across a ton of the same trees I had no knowledge about. I identified it on a plant app I have and it ends up being a sourwood tree. Anyone know anything about these trees? I thought about hack n squirting them too, but decided to hold off and ask you guys about them first. Main reason I am hack n squirting is to get more sunlight to the ground for more understory vegetation.
 
Never heard of it. Did a quick search and it seems like the bees like it’s flower. And it gets a great fall red leaf.

I’d keep them just knowing it might not be for deer.
 
Sourwood trees have lots of interesting attributes... they are the only tree in their genus, Oxydendrum, and they also are only native to North America. While they can be found from North Florida to Southern Pennsylvania, they tend to grow best in the lower Appalachian mountain range.
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They typically flower in early summer well after many other trees have bloomed, with small white bell-shaped flowers similar to lily of the valley flowers.
sourwood.jpg
They also have strikingly red foliage in the fall as their green leaves turn red.
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What they are REALLY prized for, though, is their honey! It's exceptionally good, and with a unique flavor profile that makes it stand out among other more muted honey flavors. The honey is also unique in the harvesting time, again due to flowering later than most other earlier spring plants/trees. Growing up in South Carolina my family always made it a point to buy a jar or two when visiting the NC mountains on quick vacations.

Sure wish I had a stand on my place. From what I've read, they aren't the easiest tree to grow/establish, as they like rather acidic soils and their very fine roots don't handle compaction well.

Lots of very informative articles about them online.
 
Sourwood trees have lots of interesting attributes... they are the only tree in their genus, Oxydendrum, and they also are only native to North America. While they can be found from North Florida to Southern Pennsylvania, they tend to grow best in the lower Appalachian mountain range.
View attachment 35162
They typically flower in early summer well after many other trees have bloomed, with small white bell-shaped flowers similar to lily of the valley flowers.
View attachment 35163
They also have strikingly red foliage in the fall as their green leaves turn red.
View attachment 35164
What they are REALLY prized for, though, is their honey! It's exceptionally good, and with a unique flavor profile that makes it stand out among other more muted honey flavors. The honey is also unique in the harvesting time, again due to flowering later than most other earlier spring plants/trees. Growing up in South Carolina my family always made it a point to buy a jar or two when visiting the NC mountains on quick vacations.

Sure wish I had a stand on my place. From what I've read, they aren't the easiest tree to grow/establish, as they like rather acidic soils and their very fine roots don't handle compaction well.

Lots of very informative articles about them online.
According to the map, I'm on the edge in MS of where they grow. I see now why I have them because the soil is on the acidic side, in the 5.0-5.5 range. They are growing in recently thinned pines too. I'll keep them. I've wanted to keep bees on the property for in the future. I plan to do a prescribed burn in a year, so I dont know how they will hold up to fire. A good bit of them are over 15 foot tall.
 
If you’re trying to improve habitat or grow timber, kill’em. Eventually a closed canopy will rid a timber stand of sourwood but in the meantime they’ll compete with your younger keepers.
 
I’d like one in my yard. Cool tree
 
Variety is the spice of life.... something of everything is a good thing... cool tree!
 
Keep a few but cut a few. If it’s growing naturally, they’ll grow again later, but you need the sunlight now. KILL (some)


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