Woody > Nyssa > Nyssa sylvatica > Nyssa sylvatica
Nyssa sylvatica
Black Tupelo or Black Gum
Origin: Maine, Ontario, Michigan to Florida and Texas. The genus Nyssa was named for one of the Naiads (water nymphs) in Greek mythology since one member of the genus, Nyssa aquatica, grows in water.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A class tree with a fiery disposition in autumn and an outstanding specimen that should be planted in the finest gardens.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Nyssaceae |
| Genus |
| Nyssa |
| Species |
| sylvatica |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4 - 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 7 |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H6 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| to -20 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -4 |
| Height |
| 9-15 m |
| Spread |
| 6 -8 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Landscape |
| Excellent specimen tree with outstanding summer and autumn foliage, acceptable tree street, not for heavily populated areas. |
| Cultivation |
| Difficult to transplant because of tap root, prefers moist well drained, acid soil, but in the wild it is found on dry mountain ridges and in cold mountain swamps, full sun to semi shade, does not tolerate high pH soils, protect from wind, prune in autumn. |
| Shape |
| Broadly pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| Pests |
| Cankers, leaf spots, rust, tupelo leaf miner and scale, however they are largely problem free. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Dark grey to almost black, broken into thick irregular ridges, which are checked across into short segments, making it look like alligator hide, varies from tree to tree. |
| Leaf Description |
| Alternate, simple, ovate, obovate or elliptic 7.5n- 16 cm long, 3.5 - 7.5 cm wide, |
| Flower Description |
| Polygamo dioecious, appearing with the leaves,some trees can be wholly male or female, others with sporadic fruit set. |
| Fruit Description |
| Oblong, drupe, bluish black ripening late September. |
| Colour Description |
| Lustrous dark green in summer changing to fluorescent yellow to orange in autumn. |
| Texture Description |
| Medium in leaf and winter. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Usher Gardens, County Wicklow, Ireland. Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, Surrey, England. Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Seed, softwood or semi-ripe wood. |
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