In Louisiana, the main tree people talk about for "drinkable" water is the River Birch (Betula nigra).
You can tap it in late winter/early spring, like maple trees, and the sap is safe to drink — slightly sweet and watery.
Some other birches and maples (like Red Maple and Sugar Maple) can also be tapped, but they are less common compared to River Birch down there.
Other trees that can give safe water (in survival situations) if you know what you're doing:
Sycamore — sap can be drunk.
Black Walnut — sap is okay but not super tasty.
Boxelder (a type of maple) — tap for sap too.
Trees in Louisiana you should NOT drink from (dangerous or nasty):
Oleander (very toxic — don't even touch it if you can help it)
Black Locust (poisonous)
Cherry Trees (wild cherry bark and leaves contain cyanide compounds)
Magnolia — not toxic-toxic, but its sap isn’t meant for drinking.
Bald Cypress — the swampy one with the "knees" — no drinkable sap.
Pine trees — you can make tea from needles for vitamin C, but the sap is resinous, not watery, and not good for drinking.
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