Blackgum, or Tupelo, is almost a perfect tree -- good medium size, brilliant fall foliage, intriguing branching and one of the best bee trees for anyone looking to make delectable honey.
Nyssa sylvatica also attracts beetles and wasps and, unlike many hardwoods that depend on wind for pollination, Blackgum/Tupelo has High Pollinator Values. It's also a larval host to dozens of moth species and the sole host of the striking Hebrew Moth.
In late summer Tupelo’s blue-black fruits ripen as its leaves turn shades of scarlet, orange and crimson. Birds relish these fruits, and in turn the tree relies on the birds to spread its seeds about. The fruits are edible but sour, hence the other common name for this tree, Sour Gum.
Tupelo has an oval form and branches that extend horizontally from a strong central leader. It grows naturally in low woods and swamps and can grow in standing water, although it adapts to drier sites. Female trees usually need a male pollinator for fruit.
Consider Tupelo if you have a low area in your landscape that perhaps floods on occasion, and if you are looking for a medium-sized tree with spectacular foliage that is among the first to turn color as fall approaches.
Be sure to choose your spot carefully as Tupelo does not like to be transplanted.
