A deciduous tree, Oxydendrum arboreum, of the heath family, indigenous to the southeastern section of the United States, and found from Pennsylvania to Florida and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Sourwood is hardy and often cultivated in the north. It is usually a small or medium-sized tree, but it sometimes attains a height of 75 ft (23 m) and a diameter of nearly 2 ft (0.6 m). The leaves are simple, finely toothed, long-pointed, and 4–8 in. (10–20 cm) long, and have an acid taste which explains the popular name. They turn scarlet in the fall. The flowers are white and urn-shaped and grow in long clusters (see illus.). The dry fruit remains on the tree through the fall and winter. The wood is not used commercially. Sourwood is also known as sorrel tree, and it is widely planted as an ornamental.