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| Tree looks like a native attention getter but I have killed two six inch transplants added to orders as afterthoughts.
Is anyone growing a good one? Got a pic? Are they allergic to clay or does it just need super high PH soil? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Tue, Dec 13, 11 at 1:10
| Hi toronado. Actually, acidic soil has a low pH, something under 7.0, that being the neutral point and everything above that increasingly alkaline. As to the species' soil needs, all I know is that it is ericaceous, so indeed would prefer acidic soil. Not sure on drainage requirements,etc. +oM |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Tue, Dec 13, 11 at 1:16
| Thank you wisconsitom. I used to be able to keep my PHs straight. |
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- Posted by mainegrower Z5b ME (My Page) on Wed, Dec 14, 11 at 5:38
| Oxydendrum needs the same growing conditions as rhododendrons. Acid, 50% or more organic content, moisture retentive but very well aerated planting medium. If you have clay soil, the best thing to do is to create a raised bed with the proper kind of soil. You'd probably be better off growing 6" seedlings on in pots until they're a foot or two before trying to plant them out. |
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| MGs last point is the best advice IMO. Your planting too small a transplant too quickly. I've had multiple seedlings croak and I know they grow just fine around here. I never have issues with the larger transplant...ie at least 2 years old. I find that most acid lovers do just fine in neutral soils. |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Fri, Dec 16, 11 at 2:09
| Whaas, I am the guy who will plant a pencil sized tree and then blame it for not surviving being yanked from the ground and mailed across country! How did ya know lol. Perhaps this year I will hunt down one locally if they have two to five gallon size. |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Sat, Oct 27, 12 at 16:31
| Well, I planted one this spring. TERRIBLE choice of hot dry years to plant a tree. It even blew over during an good windstorm and sat roots to the air all day at work. Couldn't risk that too many times so I had to stake it of all undesirable things. It flowered, defoliated once during the drought after showing pink tinged foliage for awhile, releaved, sorta flowered again, and has been holding red leaves and the strange dried fruit/flowers for quite some time now. Can't wait to see it after a decent year with a good amount of foliage.
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- Posted by widdringtonia 8a (My Page) on Sun, Oct 28, 12 at 8:29
| I have no experience with oxydendrum except that I like sourwood honey. I just planted an itty bitty, mail-ordered sourwood in my front garden. Hopefully it likes my soil here on the coast. There are rhodedenrums growing elsewhere in the garden, so I have high hopes. Good luck! And hopefully you'll be back with gorgeous pictures in a year or two to inspire me to go out to my little sapling and tell it to grow, grow, grow! :) |
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- Posted by alabamatreehugger 8a/8b south Alabama (My Page) on Thu, Nov 1, 12 at 23:46
| I planted two here on the gulf coast a few years ago, and they didn't seem happy, very finicky. They hung in there for a year, then died. But... I was in the Smoky Mountains a few weeks ago and the Sourwood trees were everywhere. Even in cutover areas, the Sourwood sprouts seemed to outnumber the oak sprouts. There was a big one next to the hot tub at the cabin a rented, I stared at the gorgeous color every day I was there. |
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