Sourwood
EntdeckenPflanzen
Sourwood
oxydendrum arboreum
Sourwood, also known as the sorrel tree, is a deciduous understory tree native to the eastern United States, particularly renowned in the Appalachian region. Celebrated for its striking late-summer blooms and brilliant autumn foliage, it is a standout species in deciduous forests, where it rarely exceeds moderate heights. It is highly prized by beekeepers, as its delicate white bell-shaped flowers yield an incredibly rich, light-colored honey with a distinctively sharp, sweet flavor. Its sour-tasting leaves, which contain oxalic acid, give the tree both its common and scientific names.
Lebensraum: Found in well-drained, acidic soils of upland deciduous forests, ridges, and slopes, often growing alongside oaks and pines.
Aussehen
Sourwood typically grows 9 to 15 meters tall, featuring a slender trunk and a rounded canopy. Its bark is thick, deeply furrowed, and gray-brown, resembling alligator skin on older specimens. The leaves are oblong, finely serrated, and a glossy green during spring and summer, turning a breathtaking brilliant crimson to purple in early autumn. In mid-to-late summer, the tree produces drooping panicles of small, white, urn-shaped flowers that resemble lilies-of-the-valley, which eventually dry into persistent woody seed capsules.
ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungEricalesFamilieEricaceaeGattungOxydendrum
Kategorie
PflanzenSeltenheit
Common
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Snaps
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Interessante Fakten
Mountain hikers sometimes chew on the leaves to alleviate thirst, as the sour taste stimulates saliva production.
Sourwood honey is highly prized and rare because the trees bloom for only a short period in mid-summer, requiring beekeepers to time their hive placements perfectly.
The common name 'Sourwood' and scientific name 'Oxydendrum' (sour wood in Greek) both refer to the acidic, sour taste of the leaves.
Besondere Fähigkeiten
Fähigkeit
Acidic Sap Defense
The leaves contain oxalic acid, giving them a sour taste that deters many generalist herbivores and insect pests.
Fähigkeit
Late-Season Blooming
Unlike most forest trees, it blooms in mid-to-late summer, avoiding competition for pollinators and providing a vital late-season nectar source.
Fähigkeit
Vibrant Autumn Adaptation
Rapidly produces anthocyanin pigments in autumn, protecting its leaves from light damage as it resorbs nutrients before shedding.
Maße und Details
- Länge
- 900-1800 cm
- Lebenserwartung
- 100-200 Jahre
Ernährung und Fütterung
As a photosynthetic plant, sourwood produces its own energy using sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and essential nutrients absorbed from acidic soil.
Hauptnahrung
- Sunlight
- Water
- Carbon dioxide
- Soil minerals
Nahrungssuche
- Photosynthesis
Ökologische Zusammenhänge
mutualism
Honeybee
Apis mellifera
Bees pollinate the flowers while harvesting nectar to produce famous sourwood honey.
host plant
Cecropia Moth
Hyalophora cecropia
The caterpillars of this giant silk moth feed on the leaves of the sourwood.
eaten by
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Deer browse on the twigs and leaves of sourwood, especially during the winter.
Merkmale
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Sicherheit
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
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Häufig gestellte Fragen
Wie identifiziert man Sourwood?
Der einfachste Weg, Sourwood zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.
Was ist der/die/das länge von Sourwood?
900-1800 cm
Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Sourwood?
100-200 Jahre
Was frisst Sourwood?
As a photosynthetic plant, sourwood produces its own energy using sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and essential nutrients absorbed from acidic soil.
Wo findet man Sourwood normalerweise?
Found in well-drained, acidic soils of upland deciduous forests, ridges, and slopes, often growing alongside oaks and pines.
Wie jagt Sourwood?
Photosynthesis
Snap-Karte
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