Get to know this plant.
Identification clue 1
Long finely toothed leaves
Identification clue 2
Drooping sprays of tiny white bells
Identification clue 3
Persistent dry capsules
Read the leaves
Long simple leaves taper toward the tip and have fine teeth; red autumn color is beautiful but not diagnostic.
More growing details
Read the bark
Older bark is deeply furrowed, with chunky longitudinal ridges.
Fruit & seed
Small dry capsules remain in drooping branched sprays long after flowering.
Winter character
Persistent fruit sprays and deeply furrowed bark make a helpful winter pair.
Origin & place
The species occurs naturally in the southern Appalachian region; a planted specimen is not evidence of wild local origin.
Compare with Black cherry
Both may have long toothed leaves; sourwood's branched sprays of capsules differ from cherry's fleshy fruits.
WNC Notes
Signature mountain native; requires acidic, well-drained, undisturbed soil and performs poorly in compacted sites.
Sun Exposure
Full sun–part shade
MATURE HEIGHT (FT)
20–30
MATURE WIDTH (FT)
10–20
BLOOM SEASON
Early summer
BLOOM COLOR
White
FALL / WINTER COLOR
Scarlet-purple
Wet-Soil Tolerance
Moderate
Drought Tolerance
Low–moderate