Sourwood is a tree native to the woods of the southern part of the United States. It grows as far north as Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio. The name sourwood comes from the taste of its leaves and twigs, which hunters, hikers, and campers sometimes chew when they are thirsty. The sourwood is also called the sorrel-tree. The name sorrel comes from an Old French word that means sour.
The sourwood may reach a height of 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters). It has reddish-gray bark and smooth, oblong leaves. In summer, it bears graceful clusters of small, bell-shaped white flowers, which are soon followed by little downy capsules. In spring, the foliage is bronze-green, but in autumn it turns a brilliant scarlet. The wood is sometimes used to make handles for tools. Leaves of the sourwood furnish a black dye.
