Sourwood

Common Names

Sorrel Tree Sorrel Gum Arrow Wood Elk Tree Lily-of-the-valley Tree Titi Tree

Scientific Names

Oxydendrum arboreum Ericaceae (heath) family

History of
the Tree Species

Native to North America Has no related species and not found on other continents endemically Name derives from the sour taste of its leaves, though tea is often made from them Its most prominent by-product is the honey produced by bees from its fragrant blossoms

Scientific Facts

Pioneers used sap to help treat fevers Bark can be chewed to soothe mouth pain Leaf tea used to treat diarrhea, indigestion, and dysentery Its fragrant white flowers droop and resemble the lily of the valley plant