Overview

Introduce a touch of native beauty to your landscape with the native sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum). This exceptional live plant, delivered in a quart pot, is celebrated for its multi-season appeal, making it a standout specimen in any garden. The native sourwood tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree, cherished for its unique characteristics that provide visual interest throughout the year. From its graceful form to its captivating floral displays and vibrant autumn transformation, this tree offers immense value to both gardeners and local ecosystems. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking a low-maintenance, high-impact addition that also contributes to biodiversity.

The Oxydendrum arboreum, commonly known as sourwood tree, is a true North American native, offering both ornamental beauty and ecological benefits. Its elegant stature and manageable size make it suitable for a variety of garden settings, including smaller yards or as an understory tree in larger landscapes. This tree is a magnet for pollinators, especially bees, which are drawn to its nectar-rich flowers. Discover the joy of growing a tree that not only beautifies your space but also supports local wildlife and adds a distinctive charm to your outdoor sanctuary with its fragrant summer blooms and brilliant fall color.

Key Benefits

The native sourwood tree offers a wealth of benefits, transforming your garden into a vibrant, wildlife-friendly haven:

• Spectacular Fall Foliage: Experience a breathtaking display as leaves transition to vivid shades of crimson, orange, and deep purple, providing unparalleled brilliant fall color that rivals maples.
• Fragrant Summer Blooms: Adorn your garden with elegant, cascading white flower clusters that resemble lily-of-the-valley, filling the air with a delicate, sweet fragrance throughout the summer. These fragrant summer blooms are a delight for both sight and smell.
• Pollinator Magnet: The nectar-rich flowers are a vital food source for bees and other pollinators, contributing significantly to local ecosystems and supporting honey production, making the native sourwood tree an excellent choice for wildlife gardens.
• Ideal Garden Size: With a mature height of 20–30 feet, this tree is perfectly suited for smaller yards or as an attractive specimen tree in larger landscapes, offering significant visual impact without overwhelming the space.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, the sourwood requires minimal care, making it an excellent choice for busy gardeners. It’s relatively pest and disease-free, ensuring ease of growth.
• Native Ecosystem Support: As a native species, it is well-adapted to local conditions and contributes to the health and biodiversity of your regional environment, attracting butterflies and other beneficial insects.
• Year-Round Interest: From its unique bark texture to its summer flowers and stunning fall color, the Oxydendrum arboreum provides continuous visual appeal across all seasons.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your native sourwood tree is straightforward, ensuring it thrives and provides years of beauty. This tree prefers a site with full sun to partial shade; while it can tolerate some shade, full sun promotes the best growth, most abundant flowering, and the most intense brilliant fall color. Aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. When it comes to soil, the sourwood thrives in well-drained, fertile, acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5. Incorporating organic matter at planting can improve soil structure and fertility. Avoid heavy clay soils or areas where water tends to collect, as poor drainage can lead to root rot.

During its establishment period (the first year or two after planting), keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply once or twice a week, checking the soil moisture before each watering. Once established, the sourwood tree is moderately drought-tolerant but will benefit from supplemental watering during prolonged dry spells. Fertilize in early spring with a slow-release, acid-loving plant fertilizer, following the product’s instructions. Pruning is generally minimal, focusing on removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain a healthy structure. The sourwood tree care involves ensuring proper light, soil, and moisture conditions for optimal health and vibrant displays of its fragrant summer blooms.

The Oxydendrum arboreum is hardy in USDA zones 5-9, adapting well to a range of standard garden climates. If you receive your plant during its dormant period (typically late fall through early spring), it may arrive without leaves; this is completely normal, and new growth will emerge as temperatures warm. Protect young trees from harsh winter winds in colder zones. Monitor for common garden pests, though sourwood is generally quite resistant. With proper siting and minimal attention, your native sourwood tree will flourish, rewarding you with its unique charm.

Size & Details

This offering includes one native sourwood tree, Oxydendrum arboreum, shipped as a live plant in a quart pot. The plant is ready for immediate planting upon arrival, allowing it to quickly establish in its new home. Typically, these trees mature to a height of 20–30 feet with a spread of 15–20 feet, forming an attractive oval or pyramidal shape. Its growth rate is moderate, allowing you to enjoy its developing features over time. Expect the tree to begin producing its beautiful fragrant summer blooms and striking brilliant fall color as it matures, usually within a few years after planting.

The quart pot size provides a healthy root system, ensuring a strong start for your young tree. Sourwood trees are known for their distinctive ridged bark, which adds winter interest, and their glossy green leaves throughout the spring and summer before their dramatic autumn transformation. This manageable size makes it an excellent choice for a variety of garden designs, whether as a focal point or integrated into a mixed border. With consistent sourwood tree care, it will develop into a magnificent specimen.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big will my native sourwood tree get? A: The native sourwood tree typically reaches a mature height of 20–30 feet with a spread of 15–20 feet. It’s considered a medium-sized tree, suitable for many garden spaces.
• Q: What size pot does the plant come in? A: You will receive one live native sourwood tree shipped securely in a quart-sized pot, ensuring its roots are well-protected and ready for planting.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The native sourwood tree is an outdoor deciduous tree. It requires specific outdoor conditions to thrive and exhibit its seasonal changes, including its fragrant summer blooms and brilliant fall color.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For best growth, flowering, and fall color, the Oxydendrum arboreum prefers full sun to partial shade, ideally receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, once established, the native sourwood tree is considered relatively low-maintenance. Its sourwood tree care primarily involves ensuring proper planting location and adequate moisture during establishment.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your plant will arrive carefully packaged in a quart pot. If purchased during dormancy (October–May), it may arrive without leaves, which is natural, and new foliage will emerge in spring.
• Q: How long until it blooms and shows fall color? A: As a young tree, it will take a few years to establish and begin producing significant fragrant summer blooms and its full spectrum of brilliant fall color. Patience will be rewarded with stunning displays.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The native sourwood tree is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. If you are within these zones, it should tolerate winter temperatures well.
• Q: What type of soil does the sourwood tree prefer? A: It thrives in well-drained, fertile, and acidic soil. Amending heavy soils with organic matter can improve drainage and provide essential nutrients for healthy growth.