Black Gum – Simcoe County Master Gardener

Simcoe County Master Gardeners

Grow Natives!

PLANT PROFILE

COMMON NAME: Black Gum (also known as Black Tupelo)

BINOMIAL: Nyssa sylvatica

Family	Nyssaceae
Cdn Native Range	Limited areas of Southern Ontario, particularly near Lake Erie
Natural habitat	wet forest edges, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps
Type	deciduous tree
Features	brilliant, early red-orange–purple fall foliage; dark gray bark is deeply furrowed and scaly in middle age, transitions to light gray smooth plates in old age
Growth habit	long-lived, slow growing (12–15 inches per year) with pyramidal shape when young, spreading with age; branching grows in distinct horizontal layers; becomes irregular and flat-topped on old trees; alternate, oblong to oval leaves thick, dark green, glossy upper surface, whitish underneath
Mature height	20–25 metres (66–82 ft)
Mature spread	6–9 meters (20–30 ft)
Life span	150–300 years
Cdn Hardiness Zone	4–7
Growing conditions	full to part sun; prefers moist conditions
Soil conditions	moist, acidic, well-drained soils
Watering needs	regular watering when young
Fertilizer needs	compost, natural mulch
Tolerance	shade, wet areas, varied soils, heavy clay and compaction
Maintenance rank	low
Maintenance needs	remove dead or damaged branches late winter to early spring; prune to shape if desired; deep taproot, transplanting when young recommended
Bloom	small greenish-white clusters May–June
Fruit	1–3 fruits together on long stalk; black-blue ovoid fleshy drupe
Pollinator support	nectar for bees
Environmental support	food source for wildlife and migrating birds, especially robins; nesting or den habitat for bees and small mammals; source of wild honey in some areas
Garden Use	shade tree, ornamental specimen tree for fall color, needs space
Risks & Cautions	forest tent caterpillars, tupelo leaf miners, scale; protect young trees from deer browsing; fruit can be messy – do not plant near patios.