• Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nyssa sylvatica

black gum, tupelo

Nomenclature

Common Name:

black gum, tupelo

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Nyssa sylvatica

Family:

Nyssaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

30-50 ft tall by 30-50 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

NA

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in spring. Fruits ripen in fall.

Noted For:

Hurricane Wind Resistance, Fall Color

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen tree where its sweeping branches and scarlet fall color can be appreciated. Shade tree.

Considerations:

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Availability:

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Propagation:

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Light:

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Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds, Mammals

Bee pollinated.

Seeds are eaten by birds and small-to-medium-sized mammals.

Native Habitats:

Wooded areas, usually sandy, moist to dry.

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Tupelo honey is well-known for its unusual sweet taste. In the north, it's also know as the beetlebung tree, because its wood was used for barrel bungs (like corks to keep in the liquid, usually whale oil).

General Comments: