Anyone growing Sourwood?

Anyone out there growing Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)? I'd like to know personal experiences with this plant from anyone in the Midwest please.

We have one plant here. It died back a couple of times early on, but once it got used to being here it's done OK and is about 18-20 feet tall now. We have it on a north slope below the high canopy of oaks and hickories. I think provenance probably is pretty important, especially up there in your area, as are good drainage and acid soil.

I've been gone a couple of days and I see you and the others have been playing on some of those other threads! I guess I need to keep a closer eye and a tighter rein on you.

I just saw the callery thread again, but have little to add to what several of you already have assembled there. I would just suggest to the newbies that if the tag says "pear" and it's not Asian, Ussurian, or domestic, I'd walk away from it. Some of them split, some are invasive in certain places, and some disease prone -- and some are all of the above.

Guy S.

Sourwood seemed fairly easy to grow from seed. They grow fairly well and, when used in landscapes are great performers. I tried growing some of the seed I harvested and most came up without stratification and ended up throwing most out as I had too much. The fall colour is super-nice. The old seed/flowers seem to stay a bit too long on the tree. My 2 cents.

I've always had decent luck growing from seed. Maybe if I want to try a Sourwood I should attempt to find a midwestern race and start from scratch rather than attempting to locate a bareroot sapling.

Eek, "I tried growing some of the seed I harvested and most came up without stratification and ended up throwing most out as I had too much". I've not had that problem yet. If I have a higher germination rate than anticipated, I give more away. I can't bear to toss out any of my babies.

OK folks, where do I get Oxydendrum arboreum seed from a location some where in the midwest?

Sheffield's has some Sourwood seed listed as being from Pennsylvania, I dont know if that would be a similar environment.

Start with the Morton Arboretum or Chicago Botanic Garden, for your most local source. Then check with Boerner in Milwaukee; Langenecker (I think) in Madison; or one of the other universities nearby.

Finally, Guy, but he's way down south from you.

Morton Arb is probably doable. I've heard of people who have asked for seed and been allowed to take some. I don't recall if the people who asked were volunteers of the Arb or students but it never hurts to ask. I'm going down there for a visit sometime this spring so I'll whip out a request.

Any decent sized sourwood will bare millions of seeds. Like most Ericaceous plants the seeds are in small capsules and very tiny. Just specks, really. I'm not sure I'd even bother to ask permission, as one or two capsules will provide you with more seeds than you can ever use and no one will notice two missing capsules.

My experience with this plant so far: perfect drainage and very acid soil.

Scott

Acid lover, eh. I can handle that here. Perfect drainage may be a little tricky but that might be doable.

Here's another perspective -- one concern about collecting seed at Morton or CBG is that the tree is not native there so you will need to check their records for provenance. (It's not native here by me either, or anywhere else in Illinois.) While it's a good start to find a parent that's surviving under cultivation in your climate, that's no guarantee that the seed progeny will inherit those genes.

I think, given the opportunity, you might want to seek seed from source-documented or wild trees from the northwestern edge of the natural range. That might be southern Indiana or western Kentucky or southern Ohio, and would include the areas where Scott and John live.

Guy S.

Well, I don't hold out too much hope for my little almost 3 yr. old Sourwood tree. The good drainage is fine but acid soil, no way!!! Somehow when I bought it I didn't realize it needed acid soil. I am usually fairly careful not to plant anything that needs acid soil, as my soil is very alkaline.

I planted it on my south facing bank in with my windbreak trees., so there are quite a lot of trees so when it finally succumbs to the lack of acidity, guess it won't be a great loss.

DonnaS

Soil sulfur work wonders, and is very inexpensive. Just follow the directions on the bag.

Guy S.

Starhill- Have you heard anything about Sandusky Valley Nursery? I came upon their website yesterday. I would be careful, as they seem too good to be true. They are based in Ohio, and the trees are approx. $3.95. No listing on Watchdog.

No, but I bet someone else on this forum can help you.

Guy S.

Guy sez:

No, EQ cannot have any of my Oxydendrum. She will just have to go horn in on someone else's domain. That's why I suggested the Morton.

As far as soils...could be anecdotal, but it ain't bragging if you can do it. Cave Hill Cemetery here in Louisville is as karst (limestone-based, cave and sinkhole studded) a topography there is this side of Mammoth Cave. Somehow, Lee Squires and company have grown some of the finest sourwoods in cultivation. Beautiful, full, heavy flowering trees with exceptional fall color. Annually. Guy has been there, but maybe was so overwhelmed with all the rest of the landscape that these trees didn't register.

Granted, Oxydendrum is from and belongs on acidic well-drained soils, but I wouldn't give up on yours just yet, DonnaS.

That's right, I do remember seeing some there now that you remind me.

Go figure!

Guy S.

What's this I hear? V V has Oxydendrum? V V, are you holding out on me? I hardly even know you and already you're hoarding goodies! Tsk tsk.

Gimme gimme gimme!

Just kidding. I have to think about this drainage situation. I can handle meeting about half of the tree's cultural requirements but that drainage might be an issue.

Equil, if you need seed just let me know.

Well growin comes to the rescue and saves the poor Oxydendrumless damsel in distress from all the big bad seed hoarders.

growin, I think I've got a problem here with that plant. I walked around outside early this morning and I am having difficulty locating a site with the type of drainage it needs. I am surrounded by wetlands here that are a closed system. I did a little bit of poking around on that plant and it might not fair all that well here but it's always nice to run into somebody who knows how to share their toys in the sandbox.

I have one that I bought last year at a plant show and sale(Mobile Botanical Gardens). It was in a 5gal container and I planted it in my front yard and mulched it well with pine straw. It was already about to go dormant when I planted it so I wont know how well it does until this summer. I'll keep you posted.

braggart ;)