Leaf
Sten Porse · CC BY-SA 3.0
Black tupelo
Nyssa sylvatica Marshall
Also known as: Tupelo, Black gum, Sour gum
Family: Nyssaceae
15 to 25 m tall
Planted as a specimen, cool to moist soils, tolerates waterlogged soils
Flowering: May – June, inconspicuous
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy, to about -25°C, tolerates wet soils well, even temporarily flooded
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Black tupelo is one of the very first trees to change colour each autumn, its leaves turning scarlet from late summer — an early signal that draws migrating birds to its ripe fruit before most other trees.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, ovate, glossy, among the first to colour in autumn, turning scarlet red then purple
🌸 Flowers
Small, greenish, barely visible, rich in nectar
🍎 Fruits
Small blue-black drupe, liked by birds
🪵 Bark
Grey, cracking into rectangular plates with age, resembling alligator hide
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the eastern United States; planted in France as an ornamental collection tree
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous but very nectar-rich flowering, the source of a well-regarded monofloral honey in the United States
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ornamental tree planted for its spectacular, early scarlet-red autumn colour, tolerates wet soils well
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known
🌿 Other Nyssaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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