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Author Topic: Is this sourwood?  (Read 1972 times)

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Offline CherokeeKC

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Is this sourwood?
« on: October 13, 2015, 08:48:27 pm »
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Offline bowandarrow473

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Re: Is this sourwood?
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2015, 09:55:04 pm »
It looks like it to me, but I'm not very good at identifying sourwood without my book handy, try crunching up a leaf and putting it on your tongue, sourwood has a sour flavor to its leaves and is quite enjoyable to chew while hiking.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Is this sourwood?
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2015, 11:52:38 pm »
Yep, that's sourwood. Right now they are brilliant colors in our woods. The small branches indicate at lease 2nd year growth making it good for arrows. If the shoots only have leaves or leaf scars it if 1st year growth and not good for arrows.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline CherokeeKC

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Re: Is this sourwood?
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2015, 04:20:34 am »
Awesome I was hoping it was!  Thing is I have seen this stuff in woods for 3 years and never put two and two together that I have awesome arrowshaft material waiting to be picked.  PatB I broke the top section of a tree off as you can see in the pics.  Is the top straight section and bottom section below the "nodal" set of braches both good for arrows?  Or are you saying the 2nd year growth is only the thicker bottom part and the top of the tree is 1st year growth?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Is this sourwood?
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2015, 02:53:49 pm »
The very top shoot is this years growth and too flimsy for arrows, usually. I don't use them. The one below that is last years growth and the one below that is 3rd year growth. Both the second and third year growth in these pics are appropriate for arrows.
 Each year sourwood sends up a shoot along with the few other branches that come out in the same area. Some of these shoots are only a few inches long, sometimes they can be 6' or more long but most are about arrow size. You can cut the longer ones and find an arrow in it...but only after the second year.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline CherokeeKC

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Re: Is this sourwood?
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2015, 03:15:45 pm »
Ok thanks for the clarification!
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Is this sourwood?
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2015, 03:24:56 pm »
Look along road cuts. 2 years after the mower comes through there are usually lots of good sourwood shoots there.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC
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