Contrasting beautifully with

the vibrant fall foliage are the egg-shaped, creamy tan fruit capsules,

which are displayed upright on curved stalks. Even after the foliage has

fallen, these remain on the tree, darkening with age and imparting a picturesque

winter silhouette. The heavily textured dark gray bark adds further winter

interest.

Sourwood is native only to

North America, and is found in the middle and southeastern United States,

where it is most abundant in the mountain and piedmont regions. It is

often found growing on moist slopes of hardwood forests, yet it is also

well adapted to drier sites, such as ridges, field edges, roadsides, and

clearings.

Like its ericaceous relatives,

sourwood prefers a somewhat acidic soil high in organic matter. It will

provide optimal flowering and best fall color if grown in full sun; however,

it will also perform well in partial shade. In a garden setting, this

adaptable tree is appropriate as a focal point and specimen tree or incorporated

into a woodland edge as an understory tree. Sourwood has no serious disease

or pest problems.

- Mary Pyne Tucker

Georgia Native Plan Society

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