Growth form: Southern Arrowwood is a multi-stem deciduous shrub that grow around 5 to 15 feet tall with coarsely toothed leaves with non fragrant white flowers.
Leaves, twigs, and bark: Leaves of Southern Arrowwood are simple, opposite, and toothed, growing around 3 to 6 inches long, with pinnate venation. The leaves are ovate shape with hair present and In the fall the leaves range from yellow to shades of orange and red. The twigs are slender with greenish brown color and covered in several scales. Native American reportedly used the wood from Southern Arrowwood to make arrows hence the name. The bark is grayish brown with a smooth texture.
Leaves of Southern Arrowwood #859, showing opposite leaf arrangement, tooth margins, and elliptical shape. (Photos by B. Taib 11/18/2019) -
Flowers: Southern Arrowwood tree blooms from March to April. Flowers are small showy clusters that are white with no smell and about 2-4 inch across containing a yellow stamen. The flowers are arranged in a flat top corymbs containing 4 to 5 petals usually in star shape.
White flowers of Fringe Tree (Creative Commons Image, USDA 2006)
Fruits: The fruit are oval drupes in the color of bluish black about 1/3 inches long growing in clusters attracting birds and other wildlife usually ripening in early fall and is edible.
Clusters of bluish black drupes on Southern Arrowwood Tree
Native range and habitat: Southern Arrowwood is located east of the Appalachian mountains growing best in full sun to partly shaded tree requiring low maintenance. Easily grows in medium moisture, well drained soil preferring moist loam but widely tolerant of other soil.
Distribution of Southern Arrowwood Tree across Virginia counties (Digital Atlas of Virginia Flora, 2019)
Plant Family: Members of Caprifoliaceae are tree, shrubs, and vines with leaves that have opposite arrangement and usually linear with inferior ovary often producing showy fruit.
Ecologic Importance and Uses:
Edible and Medicinal Uses: Songbirds eat the fruit hanging from the tree along with turkeys,grouse, and squirrels while the twigs and leaves are grazed by white tailed deer.
Wildlife: Southern Arrowwood tree provide home for spring Azure butterfly while also being a source for pollinators and a source of food for wildlife.
Gardens and Landscaping: Southern Arrowwood tree is used in gardens to attract songbirds and other types of wildlife providing showy fruit and non-fragrant flowers for pollinators too. Can be grown in a USDA hardness zone of 2 to 8 having low maintenance. Southern Arrowwood tree are resistant to fire, heat, drought, and tolerant of soil compaction of the landscape. Trees may need occasional rejuvenation pruning.
Campus Specimens - Southern Arrowwood Trees
State and national champions? There are no measurements for this tree that I can find in the national and state of Virginia database for champion tree. measurements
At Radford University, there is only one tree on campus located between Davis and McGuffey hall along the sidewalk going down past the stairs along the side of Mcguffey hall. (highlighted circle below)
Tree #859
Trunk circumference: 28.0 inches
Tree height: 12.0 feet
Crown spread: 14.2 feet x 12.5 feet Average = 13.4 feet