FAMILY: ERICACEAE
ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:
LEAVES: alternate, simple, deciduous, elliptic,
up to 7” long, 1.5" to 3.5"wide; margins finely
toothed; bristled along midrib; sour to taste
FLOWER: white, bell-shaped, 1/3”;
in racemes 5 -10”, one-sided raceme, drooping from branch
tips, resembles lily-of-the-valley; June-July
FRUIT: small, dry, persistent capsule,
3/8”, 5-celled
TWIGS: slender, zigzag, yellow-green, conspicuous
lenticels; leaf scars half round with one raised bundle scare;
terminal bud absent, lateral buds partially embedded in bark
BARK: silvery gray, furrowed, tinge of red,
interlacing ridges
FORM: small tree, <50’, 10-12”
dbh
HABITAT: moist, acid soils, slopes of mixed
hardwoods; intermediate tolerance, sub-climax
WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative Upland (FACU): Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
RANGE: southeast US
USES: very good deer browse; sprout profusely
after cutting or fire; excellent honey; wood is of no commercial
value
Best Recognition Features:
- sour-tasting leaves, finely toothed margins
- midrib with bristles
- fruit racemous and persistent
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