Nyssa sylvatica aka Black Tupelo

Black tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica, is a deciduous tree in the family Nyssaceae. Gardeners also know it as black gum, sour gum, pepperidge and cotton gum. It grows wild from southern Ontario through the central and eastern United States. Its range also reaches into central and southern Mexico. In the wild it occupies dry upland woods, swamp margins and occasionally flooded hollows.

In gardens it usually reaches 20 to 50 feet (6 to 15 m) tall and 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 m) wide. Wild trees can reach 70 to 75 feet (21 to 23 m). Young trees form a pyramid, and older ones develop a flatter crown. Slender branches stand out at right angles to the trunk, and lower limbs droop with age. Growth is slow, around 12 to 15 feet (3.5 to 4.5 m) in ten years. The bark is dark gray to almost black. It breaks into hard, blocky ridges as the tree ages.

The leaves are simple, alternate and glossy dark green, with paler undersides. They are elliptic to obovate and 3 to 6 inches long. Margins are mostly smooth, though young growth may carry a few coarse teeth. Autumn color is the main attraction. Foliage turns brilliant yellow, orange, scarlet or purple. The tree is largely dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Small greenish-yellow flower clusters open in May and June. Bees work them for nectar, and the resulting tupelo honey is highly valued. Female trees bear bluish-black drupes about half an inch long, ripening from late summer into autumn.

Black tupelo grows in full sun or partial shade. It prefers moist, deep, acidic soil and does not tolerate alkaline conditions. It copes with clay, sand, loam, compacted ground and even standing water. Once established it handles drought, heat, wind and some salt spray. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9, and the RHS rates it H6. A long taproot makes it hard to move. Plant young container-grown trees in their final position.

The tree makes a fine shade, lawn, street or specimen tree. It needs little pruning, and its branches resist breakage. Its fruit feeds thrushes and other songbirds, wild turkeys, bears, foxes, raccoons and opossums. It is a key food source for songbirds on autumn migration. Hollows in old trees shelter frogs, reptiles and bats. Dropped fruit can make a mess on paving. The hard, cross-grained timber warps easily but has served for crates, pallets and pulpwood.

Serious problems are uncommon. Leaf spots, rust, cankers, leaf miners and scale insects may appear. Forest tent caterpillars sometimes strip the leaves in spring. The tree is susceptible to verticillium wilt and may suffer from honey fungus. Recent dieback in the southern Appalachians has an unknown cause. The fruit is edible raw or cooked but very sour, and people use it in preserves. No hazards are recorded for the plant.