October 20, 2009
Saving Sourwoods
I have been working recently on rescuing some of the more notable small trees and shrubs in my yard from some very invasive honeysuckle and strangler fig vines. This is a picture I took of a couple of young Sourwood trees that I saved – the vines were shading out even the uppermost foliage of the trees before I cut them down. For those unfamiliar with this lovely native plant, they are the small trees in the foreground of the photo with red-tinted foliage.
I love Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) – it is a beautiful native tree that thrives especially in the Appalachian region. It has a slim, upright form with glossy green leaves that turn the most brilliant shade of red in the fall. Autumn displays are particularly stunning when bright red foliage is contrasted by the cascading, golden-yellow spent flower panicles and seed pods. Mature specimens even provide good winter form with their strong, slender trunks and well-textured bark. Sourwood is also of note to agriculturists with apiaries, as the white flowers borne from June to August are known to produce one of the best tasting – and most highly sought-after – honeys available.
I think when I buy my own farm I’ll surround it with Sourwoods.
