Splendid Sourwood

As temperatures finally begin to drop and fall is in the air, the trees are responding with their annual display of vibrant colors. Dogwood is turning that beautiful, subtle dark maroon with accents of bright red berries. Tulip poplar and oaks are sporting golden yellow while the maples are beginning to show their brilliant orange.

Of all the fall trees, though, I perhaps appreciate the sourwood most of all. One of the first to show color, you can pick out a sourwood tree from a forest of green at quite a distance.

This is an all-season tree. In addition to the stunning fall foliage, it has beautiful delicate flowers in mid-summer, interesting bark and a great silhouette during the winter months and light yellow-green leaves in spring.

Sourwood (also known as sorrell tree) is so named because of the acrid or sour taste of the leaves. They’re apparently edible, though I’ve never tasted one. Wild crafters and foragers will use them as flavoring or steep them in hot water to make tea. Native Americans used the leaves as both flavoring and medicine.

Perhaps sourwood is best known for the honey that bees make from the flower nectar. The blossoms last only three weeks during summer but bee keepers and probably the bees too celebrate this season. The honey made from sourwood blossoms is considered some of the finest. Sourwood honey won three out of the last six world honey championships.

Sourwood honey is a very light amber color and, according to the honey experts, has a “soft anise and spice” flavor. Reading about different honey flavors is somewhat like reading descriptions of wines. Tulip poplar is “dark, bold and minerally.”

Sourwood trees are understory trees and provide an important layer in an ecosystem. They are native from Pennsylvania south to northern Florida and west to Illinois. But, like many of our native plants, sourwood populations are declining. The trees have been weakened by periodic droughts and extreme temperatures and many have been lost due to development.

Because it is such a lovely tree, you should plant one in your yard. It likes full sun but will do fine in partial shade. It will benefit you – and nature!