North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Ericaceae > Oxydendrum

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Person Co., NC
13 June 2006

A common small tree statewide in NC, Sourwood rarely grows straight up but rather usually leans toward a light source.

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Person Co., NC
13 June 2006

A close look at the flowers shows you why this tree is in the blueberry family.

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Person Co., NC
13 June 2006

Sourwood leaves are very finely serrate and have a sour taste.

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Wake Co., NC
26 May 2008

Distinctive bark on older trees.


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com