Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Heath
Family (botanic) Ericaceae
Tree or plant type Tree
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale North America
Size range Medium tree (25-40 feet)
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
Soil preference Acid soil, Moist, well-drained soil
Drought tolerance Sensitive
Other tolerances Wet sites
Season of interest early summer, midsummer, early fall, mid fall
Flower color and fragrance Fragrant, White
Shape or form Oval, Pyramidal
Growth rate Slow

More Information

Size and Form

Sourwood is a pyramidal to oval tree that grows 25 to 30 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide.

Native Geographic Location and Habitat

It is native primarily to the southeastern United States and commonly found on well-drained upland slopes.

Bark Description

Bark is gray-brown and deeply ridged with the ridges often divided into a somewhat square pattern.

Leaf Description

It has simple, alternate, 3 to 8 inch, elongated leaves with finely toothed edges. The leaves are dark green in summer and change to red or a mix of red and orange in fall.