Oxydendrum arboreum
Sourwood · also Sorrel tree, Sorreltree, Lily-of-the-valley tree
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Oxydendrum arboreum is a deciduous woodland tree with glossy foliage that turns crimson red to purple in autumn. It produces small, waxy, cream-colored flowers that attract pollinators, followed by slender clusters of grayish-green capsules. While tolerant to salt, this tree is sensitive to drought and urban pollution, making site selection important for urban planting.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 780.04%6.7 yr2.0 in
- 530.04%23 yr13 in
- 140.01%—4.6 in
- 140.09%20 yr3.5 in
- 90.03%—2.0 in
- 80.00%—12 in
- 10.00%—3.0 in
Traits
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Mature height
- 40–60 ft
- Canopy spread
- 25–30 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- Moderate
- Drought tolerance
- Low
- Pollution tolerance
- Low
- Wildlife value
- High
- Tolerates
- coastal, salt
- Blooms
- Jun, Jul, Aug
Trunk diameters across every city: median 2.5 in, mean 7.9 in, 90th percentile 17 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests
- Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
- Appalachian Piedmont forests
- Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests