The black gum tree ( Nyssa sylvatica) is a medium-size deciduous tree (it drops its leaves in the fall) with a slow growth rate, gaining only around 1 to 2 feet per year. It generally grows in a rounded shape with a straight trunk, and its bark is said to look like alligator skin.
Full Answer
What does a black gum tree look like?
The flowers of black gum are light green in color and form into pendulous clusters in the spring. The names used for this tree are black gum, sourgum, yellow gum, black tupelo, cotton gum, tupelo-gum, pepperidge, swamp tupelo, swamp black gum, sour gum or tupelo.
How fast does a black gum tree grow per year?
Back to Top The black gum tree (Nyssa sylvatica) is a medium-size deciduous tree (it drops its leaves in the fall) with a slow growth rate, gaining only around 1 to 2 feet per year. It generally grows in a rounded shape with a straight trunk, and its bark is said to look like alligator skin.
What is the difference between black gum and sweetgum?
Their berries are just as bitter as the black gum berries. Sweetgum leaves have 3 to 7 lobes compared to the oval-shaped leaves of black gums. Lastly, their woods differ in color. Sweet gums have sapwood ranging from white to light pink and heartwood that’s reddish-brown. Black gums have light gray-brown sapwood and dark gray-brown heartwood.
What are the most common problems with black gum trees?
Common problems for black gum trees include canker, leaf spots, rust, black twig borer, and scales. Unlike the epidemic of Emerald Ash Borers found in the wood of ash trees, Black Twig Borers aren’t causing extinction in black gum trees. The first sign of damage from these little guys is twig and leaf wilting.
How do you identify a blackgum tree?
You can easily identify a black gum by its:Dark and furrowed bark. ... Leaves, which are simple and oval-shaped with a rounded base. ... Small and greenish-white flowers, appearing in springtime with the leaves.Fruit, which blossoms when the leaves change color.
Are blackgum trees messy?
It's not a “messy” tree. Any fruit that it bears will be eaten up by the birds – it really never seems to drop any. It doesn't constantly loose small twigs after strong winds. And since its flower isn't significant when it's in bloom, it's even less noticeable when the flower drops.
How fast do blackgum trees grow?
Growth Rate Slow to moderate rate (12 to 15 feet over 10 to 15 years). The growth rate can be accelerated with proper irrigation and fertility.
What are blackgum trees used for?
Black gum is commonly used for concealed parts in furniture, veneer for containers, plywood, pulp, railroad ties, and lumber for boxes, crates, and pallets. When compared with the other tupelo species, the black gum trees are highly favored by honey producers for creating a light and mild-tasting honey.
What trees add value to property?
Instead, plant maples (both North American and Japanese species are highly prized), oaks, linden trees, and other deciduous types that do well in places with cold winters. If you live in a warm area, go for citrus, palm trees, magnolias, and anything with fragrant, exotic blossoms (think frangipane).
How long do blackgum trees live?
650 yearsIt is the longest-lived hardwood species in the eastern United States, with a maximum age that can exceed 650 years. It is inherently slow growing, which most likely explains its great longevity and high shade tolerance; it is also one of the few tree species that are fire resistant as well as shade tolerant.
Are gum trees messy?
Eucalyptus trees are also notorious for being messy. As many species age, they shed portions of their bark, littering the ground below. On the plus side, this exfoliating bark can be quite beautiful, especially during the winter. Some species, like E.
Do black gum trees have deep roots?
The roots are deep growing, making Black Gum very difficult to transplant, which is not recommended. These slow-growing trees get quite large, and should be planted in locations with that in mind. These hardy trees have few serious disease or insect threats.
Are black gum trees disease resistant?
Black gum has few disease or insect problems. The tree should be transplanted in spring either balled-and-burlapped or as a container plant. Native habitat: Dry hills or wet flatlands of the eastern U.S.; a Kentucky native.
Does black gum make good lumber?
Its strength properties are also on the low end for intermediate weight woods. The wood is not rated as particularly good for bending. The wood can be dried with a relatively severe kiln schedule. Although an intermediate weight wood, black gum has a substantially high shrinkage, close to that of red oak.
Is tupelo the same as black gum?
Blackgum, or black tupelo, is a native deciduous tree in the Nyssaceae family. Growing throughout North Carolina in dry upland forests (occasionally bottomlands), savannas, swamp margins, and upland depressions that are occasionally flooded.
Does black gum make good firewood?
Not that black gum, or black tupelo as it is sometimes called, didn't yield good wood. The fact was, that once down, a black gum log was nearly impossible to split with tools at hand. The wood of the black gum has fibers not only interwoven but twisted to boot.
Is black gum a good tree?
Black gums make great specimen trees or shade trees. However, they can be slow growing and, like I mentioned before, young saplings and foliage are a preferred food source for deer. If you know you have a high deer population in your area, then you'll need to protect the tree for its first few years.
Do black gum trees drop balls?
They are two different species. American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraci) is a much larger forest tree that can grow 75 to 130 feet tall. Do black gum trees produce gum balls? No, black gum produces small fleshy fruit whereas the sweet gum tree produces spiky gum balls.
What is the difference between a sweetgum tree and a black gum tree?
Black Tupelo or Nyssa sylvatica is the most common true gum in North America and grows from Canada to Texas. Another common tree that is called a "gum" is sweetgum and is actually an entirely different tree species classification called Liquidambar. The fruit and leaves of sweetgum look nothing like these true gums.
Do black gum trees drop gumballs?
There are two common types of gum tree in East Texas: sweetgum and black gum. We all know and love the colors of the sweetgum, but not so much the gum balls that litter the ground beneath this beautiful tree in the fall.
What is the black gum tree?
Some varieties of the black gum tree include: ‘Zydeco Twist’: This variety features somewhat twisting branches, which really stand out during the winter months when the tree is bare. ‘ Autumn Cascades’: This variety is known for its especially attractive yellow, orange, and red fall foliage.
What kind of soil does a black gum tree like?
The black gum tree is tolerant of various soil types. It prefers loamy soil with an acidic pH and good drainage. But it can handle a spot with poor drainage and even some standing water. It also is moderately tolerant of clay soil, as well as gravelly or sandy soil.
What tree has a rounded trunk?
The black gum tree ( Nyssa sylvatica) is a medium-size deciduous tree (it drops its leaves in the fall) with a slow growth rate, gaining only around 1 to 2 feet per year. It generally grows in a rounded shape with a straight trunk, and its bark is said to look like alligator skin.
Can black gum grow in cold?
Black gum trees grow naturally in a variety of climates and are hardy both to cold and to heat. Humidity also usually isn’t an issue for the tree, as long as there is good air flow among its branches. Otherwise, high humidity and cramped branches can lead to fungal growth. 2 .
Do you need to trim black gum trees?
The black gum tree doesn’t require much pruning beyond trimming branches to retain your desired shape and removing any parts that are damaged, diseased, or dead. If any of the lower branches are drooping downward, you can prune those off if you wish to make walking around the tree easier.
What is black gum used for?
The wood is used for veneer, plywood, boxes, pulp, tool handles, gunstocks, docks, and wharves. Bees make good honey from black gum blossoms.
What color are the leaves on a young tree?
Young trees are pyramidal; older trees more oval. Leaves are alternate, simple, oval-elliptical, and lack teeth. In summer they are shiny dark green above and downy below. Often crowded toward the tips of branches. Early color changers, they turn bright scarlet or purple in late summer, well before the first frost.
How tall are trees and shrubs?
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.
Where do water tupelo trees grow?
Fruit is dark purple, thick-skinned, and dotted, in drooping clusters, each fruit about 1 inch long and widest above the middle. It occurs naturally in swamps with bald cy press trees in Missouri's southeastern lowlands and in two sinkhole ponds in the Ozarks.
When do twigs bloom?
Twigs are slender, reddish brown, slightly hairy at first, becoming gray and smooth later; some twigs short, pointed; pith white, with chambers. Flowers April–June, as the leaves unfold. Male and female flowers greenish, in clusters on separate trees; petals 5, small.
Is black gum a pest?
Its brilliant foliage makes it a popular ornamental. If you are considering planting it, be glad, for it is essentially pest-free; the few pests that attack it are not serious. It's slow to become established after transplanting, so after-planting care is important. Once established, trees require little care besides watering during drought. It also tolerates urban growing conditions.
What is a black gum tree?
The black gum tree, also referred to as the black tupelo or sour gum, is slow growing and has a pleasing rounded form when it is lush with foliage in the spring as well as when its branches are bare in the winter.
How does a black gum tree grow?
The black gum tree starts out in a pleasing pyramid shape. As it grows, it continues to fluff out its canopy in a circular symmetry. The tree begins to decay from the top down as it ages. This will make the canopy square off in trees that are hundreds of years old or if the soil gets too much alkaline.
Why do black gum trees have hollow trunks?
Because the black gum tree begins to decay from the top down as it ages, this eventually makes the towering giant hollow. Its rotted-out trunks are most often used for bee hives rather than firewood.
Why is black gum hollow?
Because the black gum tree begins to decay from the top down as it ages, this eventually makes the towering giant hollow. Its rotted-out trunks are most often used for bee hives rather than firewood. Advertisement. references. University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture: Black Gum.
What is the best tree for landscaping?
There are many reasons to admire the towering, flowering and hardy black gum tree. A ramrod-straight trunk and a rounded, far-reaching canopy make the black gum tree ideal for landscaping.
How long does it take for a black gum tree to dry?
To thoroughly dry the wood and season it properly, it can take at least six months to two years.
Where did the black gum tree originate?
Originally from the United States, the black gum tree's official genus name is Nyssa sylvatica. "Nyssa" is derived from the water nymph in Greek mythology. The Nyssa genus is native to North America. The following are some black gum or sour gum tree facts:
What color is black gum?from newblooms.com
Leaves change from green/orange quickly to red with mottled darker red splotches that make it deeper in color, but simultaneously more brilliant than many of the maple cultivars.
What color are wildfire black gum leaves?from fast-growing-trees.com
At the dawn of spring, when the world lights up in green, the Wildfire Black Gum stands out with deep ruby red leaves. Expect brilliant colors in the fall, too. You'll get crimson, orange, and even purple leaves growing on this tree. The mesmerizing variety of colors can appear on one single tree, so this Black Gum will always surprise you ...
How tall does wildfire black gum grow?from plants.rutgersln.com
Planting & Growing. Wildfire Black Gum will grow to be about 40 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 25 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines.
How to grow black gum?from fast-growing-trees.com
1. Planting: The Black Gum will need a lot of sunshine to develop a solid root system, so find a place in your yard that gets plenty of sun. You may need to stake up small, young trees if you live in a very wind y area. Also, the Wildfire loves moisture but needs well-drained soil.
What is a red sage?from plants.rutgersln.com
A glorious native variety producing bold red new foliage that matures to dark green, then a fiery scarlet in fall ; a neat, pyramidal habit of growth when young; needs moist, organic, acidic soils, intolerant of urban pollution
How tall are bare root plants?from naturehills.com
Popular sizes of select trees are 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, etc. Popular sizes of select bare root plants is 1 foot, 18 inches, etc.
How to tell when a tree needs water?from naturehills.com
Use the "Finger Test" to see when your tree needs water. Stick your finger in the ground nearby. Is it moist? Skip watering that day. Is it dry? Time to water your tree well.
How tall does a black gum tree get?
Narrow but conical when young, the tree slowly widens as it ages. In Mediterranean-climate landscapes, black gum generally grows 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. It grows much larger in its native eastern U.S. habitat yet still has a pyramidal form. Southern live oak grows 50 feet tall in Mediterranean climates and taller in its native southern U.S. realm; its rounded, umbrellalike canopy spreads twice as wide as the tree grows tall. A broad southern live oak on the horizon won't be mistaken for a black gum tree.
What is the difference between a black gum tree and a live oak tree?
Form, foliage, flowers and fruits all highlight the differences between these trees. Black gum simplifies the task when it drops its leaves for winter. A live oak -- as its name suggests -- stays evergreen. Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) exemplifies the qualities that separate various kinds of live oaks from a black gum tree.
What is black gum?
After a winter spent with bare branches, black gum produces glossy, green foliage in spring. Each broadly oval leaf widens in the center before its smooth margins form a point. Even in mild climates, black gum treats onlookers to a fiery show of red, orange, gold and purple foliage before fall takes its leaves. The southern live oak holds its leaves year-round in all but the coldest regions of its growing range, and there it drops only a portion of its leaves. The narrow, oval, smooth-edged leaves have softly rounded tips and are glossy and dark green on top and white underneath.
Do black gum trees have male and female flowers?
Some tree flowers have male and female parts within the same blossom, but black gum flowers are either male or female. With occasional exceptions, the male and female flowers occur on separate trees. After a male black gum tree's flowers pollinate a female black gum tree's inconspicuous spring blossoms, the female tree bears fruits, which appear in clusters and are black or blue-black, 1/2- to 1 1/2-inch, olivelike drupes in fall and winter. Southern live oak also has separate male and female blooms, but they appear on the same tree. Those blooms are insignificant and appear in spring; they yield 1/2- to 1 1/2-inch fruits -- brown acorns with spiny tips.
How tall do black gum trees grow?
A slow-growing tree, black gum trees need adequate space to spread their roots. On average, they grow between 30 and 50 feet high. They are adaptable, growing in many different habitats.
What is the fruit of a black gum tree?
As the Kookaburra song suggests, black gum trees produce fruit that attracts birds, insects, and small mammals such as squirrels and deer. The fruit resembles blue grapes or berries which are high in crude fat, calcium, phosphorus, and fiber. It ripens in the fall.
What woods do gums have?
Lastly, their woods differ in color. Sweet gums have sapwood ranging from white to light pink and heartwood that’s reddish-brown. Black gums have light gray-brown sapwood and dark gray-brown heartwood.
How do you know if a tree has fungus?
The first sign of damage from these little guys is twig and leaf wilting. They bore into branches and leaves, leaving behind tiny holes. On top of that, they also infest the tree with a fungus. As the fungus spreads, more leaves and branches wilt and, eventually, stop growing.
Why are sweet gum trees called sweet gum trees?
Sweetgum trees are named as such because of the sweet aroma of their sap. Their berries are just as bitter as the black gum berries.
Why is black gum used in furniture?
Because of the durability of its interlocking grain, black gum was once used for oxen yolk or chopping bowls. Even though its timber isn’t considered beautiful by woodworking standards, it’s still used today. It’s used most often in furniture, railroad ties, cabinets, and caskets.
How long do black gums live?
Pro: Because they grow on the slower side, black gums have a long lifespan. They can live over 650 years!
What Does Blackgum Firewood Look Like?
Blackgum, the other name tupelo, black tupelo, or tupelo gum is a tree, loves to grow in water and moist alluvial soils. This wood species grows throughout the eastern states, from southern Maine to Texas. The black gum tree that grows in the forest is 3-feet in diameter and 80-feet in tall. The lifespan of this tree is about 400 years.
What color is black gum?
The color of the black gum is light brown to greyish brown. Its finished surface is smooth. Recently, most people use it for burning. Also, it is vastly used for making furniture like caskets and cabinets.
What Other Usages of Black Gum Wood?
Having the downside doesn’t mean you can’t use it or it has no good sides. The black gumwood is beautiful and mostly used as a veneer to form plywood.
What is the color of sweet gum wood?
The sapwood color of sweet gum firewood will be white to light pink. On the other hand, it will be light grey-brown for the sapwood of Black gum. At the same time, the heartwood color of the sweet gum wood will be reddish-brown to brown.
What is the name of the tree that produces sap?
Eucalyptus trees are called Gumtree in Australia. The types which produce sap are mostly called the Gumtree. The Gumtrees that are actually Eucalyptus are
Is gumtree wood good for firewood?
The Gumtree is also good hardwood firewood which is identified by the uses of its bar k. Gumtrees are actually the Eucalyptus tree that produces sap. The bark timber of this tree is extremely hard and can be used as burning firewood.
Does black gum burn well?
From the discussion, we learned black gum firewood burns well. But it’s not popular firewood as cutting it and bringing it to usable size is a nightmare. However, if you want to make furniture, then it will be a great option as it is tough and durable.
About Black Tupelo Tree (Nyssa sylvatica)
The black tupelo tree ( Nyssa sylvatica) is a medium-sized flowering tree in the plant family Nyssaceae. A black tupelo tree has a broadly conical habit with branches spreading horizontally from the main trunk.
Black Tupelo Tree Leaves
Leaves on the black tupelo tree are oblong with a pointed tip, dark, glossy green color, and leathery feel. The oval or elliptical-shaped leaves grow 2” to 5” (2.5 – 13 cm) long and up to 3” (7.5 cm) broad. The simple, thick, dark green leaves grow alternately on twigs.
Black Tupelo Tree Flowers
Flowers on the black tupelo tree bloom in spring and are small clusters of greenish white flowers. The inconspicuous flowers grow in small conical clusters called umbels. Unfortunately, the flowers are difficult to recognize between the shiny green leaves.
Black Tupelo Tree Bark
Black tupelo bark is smooth and reddish-brown on immature trees. The bark develops deep furrows and a scaly appearance with a distinctive pattern as the tree matures. An identifying feature of the black tupelo is its medium-gray to reddish bark that looks like alligator hide.
Black Tupelo Tree Fruit
The fruit on a black tupelo tree is a small bluish-purple berry-like drupe. Each small, round dark purple fruit contains a single stone surrounded by sour-tasting flesh. The dark egg-shaped drupes measure 0.4” (10 mm) long and grow in groups of one to three berries on slender red stalks.
Black Tupelo Tree Identification
A black tupelo tree is identified by its straight trunk with gray bark resembling alligator skin, a conical crown, leathery green leaves, clusters of small black oval fruits, and inconspicuous flowers. In the fall, it’s easy to recognize black tupelo due to its vibrant red leaves that cover the spreading branches.
Where to Plant Black Tupelo Tree
The black tupelo tree thrives in full sun or partial shade. The best location to plant a tree is deep, acidic soil that stays evenly moist. Although damp ground is ideal for growing black tupelo, the tree tolerates occasional drought. Because they have a large taproot, the planting location must have deep soil.
How to identify a black tupelo tree?
Whenever I see a large tree that has single lobed leaves I usually say “what is that?” and it reminds me that that’s what I usually say when I see a black tupelo. There is one somewhat unique ID feature which is that the mid-height and lower branches grow out of the tree at almost 90 degrees then slope down unlike most trees where they are angled up. Also notice that the tree has many little black fruits in the fall, and a brilliant reddish colored leaf when the leaves change colors.
What is a black tepelo?
Black Tupelo ( Nyssa sylvatica) , also called black gum tree is a North Eastern American native tree producing edible fruit in the fall. There are 2 other species in the genus native to South Eastern US, they are the Ogeechee Lime ( Nyssa ogeche) and Water Tupelo ( Nyssa aquatica ), This article primarily focuses on Nyssa silvatica but many points could apply to either of the other species. Tupelo was a native American food, and the name “tupelo” comes from the native American muscogee language, meaning “swamp tree”, referring to the southern species of tupelo.
Is a fruit tree edible?
The fruit is the only known edible part of the tree. The fruits are very tasty, somewhat sour but sweet enough to enjoy raw, there is no bitterness. There is one large seed in the fruit so the fruits aren’t as fleshy as they look.
Is Black Tupelo hardy?
Native Americans did not engage in the selective breeding of fruit trees as much as Europeans. Black Tupelo is hardy to zone 3, has great fall foliage and delicious fruits, find one or plant one for a great addition to your foraging ventures.
Is a black tupelo tree edible?
Black Tupelo is a great edible fruit tree. This is a plant that makes me wonder what a few thousand years of selective breeding would have gotten us, the fruits are not much smaller than wild cherry fruits and cherries are obviously a common fruit today. Native Americans did not engage in the selective breeding of fruit trees as much as Europeans. Black Tupelo is hardy to zone 3, has great fall foliage and delicious fruits, find one or plant one for a great addition to your foraging ventures.
