Oh, How I've Longer for You

Baby Sourwood

Many of you know how much I love trees. One tree in particular that I have yearned for, for years, is a Sourwood, Oxydendron arboreum. During autumn these trees really shine. The foliage color ranges from green to various shades of red to peach to salmon. I was able to find some small ones semi-locally via the internet from Mail Order Natives. Theirs are small, about 8 to 12 inches tall, I bought four. Further internet searches lead me to a native plant nursery within an hour and a half drive. After a few messages back and forth with the folks at this nursery we made plans to visit.

Friday we took a drive up to Greer to Southern Heritage Nursery, a perfect day for an afternoon in the mountains. Mary, one of the owners was ready for us when we got there. As my camera was charging at home, I don't have photos of the nursery, but rest assured, we will go back. Photos will come in the future.




Fall through early winter a perfect time to plant in our area. The rainfall in the winter helps establish the root systems while the above ground portions of the plant are dormant. Since we have had some recent rains the soil in the woods/gardens are quite workable. Our soil is clay based, though in the woods there is a layer of leaf litter compost that helps add in nutrients. In addition to the three lovely Sourwood trees I came home with a native Smoke tree, Cotinus obovatus, and a Sassafras albidum. Don't you just love that salmon/peach color of the new trees?

New fall color waiting to be planted

 I already had one Sassafras in the garden, but that little tree is only 6 inches tall. It is a host plant for the Spicebush butterfly caterpillar. My tiny Sassafras has about four or five leaves, hardly enough for more than one cat to enjoy.

Small Sassafras

With rain in the forecast, getting my new plants in the ground was high on my agenda for today. While I had an idea where most of my new trees were going to be planted, minor adjustments were needed when the holes were dug. Rocks and roots make for hard digging. I am happy to say all trees now have new homes in my garden.

One Sassafras and Two Sourwoods (follow the arrows)

The southern exposure is towards the road, so these newly added trees will have full to dappled sunshine all year long.

Doesn't this color glow?

Smoketree

I had researched a Cotinus earlier this year, thinking I wanted one for a newly added garden area in the front yard. I was looking at some of the cultivars that were deeper purple, Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'.  I ended up moving Prunus mume 'Hokkai Bungo', a flowering apricot purchased last February, to that spot. It wasn't happy where it was, so moving it seemed to be the right answer. We shall assess its placement this winter when (and if) it blooms. This variety blooms in January-February time frame and its blooms have a cinnamon fragrance. Back to the Smoke tree, buying the native variety seems to be a better answer. I am such a sucker for red/orange/peach fall colored plants. Stay tuned for updates on the trees as they grow and mature. 

©Copyright 2015 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Tuesday's Trees- Sourwood

One week goes by so quickly, time to explore our tree. Today's tree is one I had heard of but never saw in the nurseries or garden centers. Sourwood, Oxydendrum arboreum. Last year in the Learning Garden one of the presentations we gave to a group of students included a bit on trees. Sourwood is indeed sour. Not recommending tasting things in the landscape, but this was really sour!
Sourwood is one of our native trees that grow in zones 5-9. A very adaptable tree, it can grow in sun to partial shade. We have some in the LG --they are in the wooded areas. Not easily transplanted it is a desired tree. At maturity typically is 20- 25 feet tall and given the room, 20 feet wide, though it can reach 50- 75 feet tall.


As you wander through the woods the first thing you notice is the interesting bark of this tree. Deep ridges are a bold feature of this tree.

Even on a young tree the beginnings of this interesting bark are getting mapped out.



Given the time of year I took these pictures I was not able to get one of the features of the Sourwood-- white panicles of blooms. These little flowers look like lily of the valley blooms. Bees love these blooms. Sourwood honey is a coveted variety of honey. After the blooms there are brown capsules, seed pods that hang on through the winter. Click here and see some great shots of the blooms in Fairegarden's garden. Thanks Frances!!

To me the leaves are another part of the tree that help me make that identification. The leaves are alternate, deep green, ovate, and large- according to Michael Dirr, 3-8 inches in length. The fall colors on this tree range from deep red to orange to yellow.


Do you have Oxydrendrum arboreum in your area? One certainly worth giving a second look.


Our Sourwood hasn't had a very good fall color for some reason, but here is a photo of the remaining color.


Next week-- Live Oak, Quercus virginiana