Blog

Despite its name the gum is not sweet. It's called Sweet Gum to separate it from a different species altogether, the Black Gum, Nyssa sylvatica, which is extremely sour and bitter. In comparison the mildly bitter Sweet Gum is definitely sweeter.

Description. Eucalyptus globulus is a tree that typically grows to a height of 45 m (148 ft) but may sometimes only be a stunted shrub, or alternatively under ideal conditions can grow as tall as 90–100 m (300–330 ft), and forms a lignotuber.

Gum trees vary in shape, height and colour, but all have similar characteristics that can make them problematic for planting near a home. This includes their aggressive root system that can be far-reaching and cause foundational damage to homes.

The tree is not toxic to dogs and cats, but the seedpods do present a different type of health threat if your pet were to step on one.

Tupelo or sour gum is a striking pyramidal tree in its youth with horizontal branches growing from a typically straight trunk. As the tree matures, it takes on more of an irregular habit. The dark green glossy summer foliage takes center stage in fall when the leaves turn bright scarlet.

Gum trees vary in shape, height and colour, but all have similar characteristics that can make them problematic for planting near a home. This includes their aggressive root system that can be far-reaching and cause foundational damage to homes.

Nearly all eucalyptus are evergreen, but some tropical species lose their leaves at the end of the dry season. As in other members of the myrtle family, eucalyptus leaves are covered with oil glands. The copious oils produced are an important feature of the genus.

The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth.Jun 29, 2017

• Nyssa sylvatica blooms in spring after the leaves have emerged, producing separate male and female flowers that are a siren call to bees. The flowers are not showy, being only small, greenish clusters borne in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are an abundant source of nectar for insects like bees.

• There are several cultivars of Nyssa sylvatica in the trade, three of which can be found on campus. One of the nicest and most readily available is ‘Wildfire’, selected not only for its fall color, but the fact that its new growth in spring emerges red, and maintains a reddish tinge all throughout the summer.

Growth habit: Pyramidal when young, black gum develops an irregular rounded or flat-topped form with age. Tree size: This slow-growing tree attains a height of 30 to 50 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet. Rarely reaches 100 feet in the wild.

Few trees are able to compete with black gum in regard to summer and fall color. ... Though it prefers moist, well-drained soils, black gum will grow on drier sites, giving it some drought tolerance. Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is one of the most dependable native trees for great fall color.Oct 22, 2018

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. ... sylvatica Cornaceae — the black gum. To some, its color may even exceed that of the sweetgum.Nov 28, 2019

Although black gum often grows in swamps, it has been found growing well on dry sites and has shown the ability to tolerate droughts, which may be attributed to its genetic ability to grow a deep root system.Jul 10, 2019

Hardwood Lumber – Black Gum and Tupelo

wood. The grain is usually interlocked so a distinct ribbon figure shows on the quartered surface. The sapwood is white to grayish white with a somewhat greenish or brownish gray heartwood.

Blackgums provide an abundant and varied food source for wildlife. The fruits are eaten by ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, wild turkeys, wood ducks, over 30 species of songbirds, several species of squirrels, small rodents, gray foxes, opossums, raccoons, coyotes, black bears, and white-tailed deer.Mar 14, 2012

• Nyssa sinensis is a widespread tree throughout the southern half of China, though perhaps never an abundant one. Like its North American allies, it specialises in wet sites, though it is not adapted to growing in flooded conditions and, in cultivation, it is fully able to exploit free-draining soil.

• Nyssa sylvatica v biflora - true swamp species found with cypress. Narrow leaves, deeply ridged seeds. Bright red fall color, little leaf spot. Nyssa sylvatica v biflora - true swamp species found with cypress. Narrow leaves, deeply ridged seeds. Wood is touch, cross-grained, hard to work, and warps easily.

The genus name of Nyssa is taken from a water nymph in Greek mythology. The family for black gum is Nyssaceae, though some botanists classify this genus within the Cornaceae (dogwood) family. The dove tree (Davidia involucrata) is also sometimes included in this family.

A terrific ornamental shade tree and a standout in the fall, Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum) is a small, slow-growing, stately, deciduous tree with a dense, pyramidal habit. Typically, many slender, horizontally spreading branches grow from a straight trunk and provide this elegant, broadly conical habit.

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets Nyssa are deciduous trees with ovate leaves colouring brilliantly in autumn; inconspicuous flowers are followed by small, dull purple fruits

Nyssa sylvatica is cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, where it is often used as a specimen or shade tree. The tree is best when grown in sheltered but not crowded positions, developing a pyramidal shape in youth, and spreading with age.

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.Aug 10, 2021

Black gum is used for concealed parts in furniture, veneer for containers, plywood, pulp, railroad ties, and lumber for boxes, crates, and pallets. It is also used commonly for carving since the wood can take finer details, hold paint better, and does not fuzz up like basswood.

Like many trees, the Black Tupelo, also called the Black Gum tree and the Sour Gum, barely makes it into the edible realm. The pulp of its fruit is technically edible, extremely sour and extremely bitter, which is why it is usually used in sweetened preserves.

The tree is not toxic to dogs and cats, but the seedpods do present a different type of health threat if your pet were to step on one.

Sweetgum wood is used to make veneer, plywood, cabinets and furniture. The gum from these trees has been used as chewing gum and even employed to concoct medicines and salves to cure a variety of ailments, treat wounds and serve as an important ingredient in adhesives.

It is the longest living non-clonal flowering plant in Eastern North America, capable of obtaining ages of over 650 years.

PROPAGATION: By seed, cuttings or transplants. The seeds need to be sown immediately after collection in the fall or stratified for 30 to 60 days at about 40 degrees. The seeds should be kept moist in storage and after planting. Seedlings will benefit from partial shade.

A medium size tree up to 70 feet and 3 feet d.b.h. it has the potential to reach over 100 feet on good sites and live to the ripe old age of 500 years. Identification of black tupelo is rather difficult except for one characteristic, which is most obvious in the winter.Jan 20, 2020

• Nyssa sylvatica v biflora - true swamp species found with cypress. Narrow leaves, deeply ridged seeds. Wood is touch, cross-grained, hard to work, and warps easily. It is often used for crates, cross ties, rough floors, and pulpwood. Maine south to Florida, west to Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri northeast through Illinoise and Michigan and Ontario.

• Nyssa sylvatica var. typica Fern. 1. Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. N black tupelo. Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. var. caroliniana (Poir.) Fern.; N. sylvatica Marsh. var. dilatata Fern.; N. sylvatica Marsh. var. typica Fern. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Swamps, pond shores, stream-side fens, occasionally one or more individuals occur along field edges, in forests, 


• Swamp Tupelo differs by having smaller leaves (less than 2½" long) that are more oblong in shape. The seeds of its fruits are more deeply grooved than those of Black Tupelo. Swamp Tupelo is sometimes treated as a distinct species, Nyssa biflora. It is often found in swamps and its distribution is more southern.

• Nyssa species are small to medium-sized, deciduous (or evergreen) trees and are often characteristic of wet and flooded forests. The bark is grey and deeply furrowed; emergent root arches may be formed when the tree grows in water.

Nyssa Sylvatica. The black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is a deciduous tree that is originally from the United States. It is favored for its brilliant fall foliage and its winter form, which displays attractively dropping branches over time. Black gum is an excellent choice to add autumn color to your garden.

Nyssa sinensis is a widespread tree throughout the southern half of China, though perhaps never an abundant one. Like its North American allies, it specialises in wet sites, though it is not adapted to growing in flooded conditions and, in cultivation, it is fully able to exploit free-draining soil.

All Nyssa are adapted to marshy conditions, and some grow in standing water for much of the year; Linnaeus drew the generic name from that of Nysseides, a water-nymph in ancient Greek mythology, while the vernacular American name ‘Tupelo’ is derived from the native Creek words ito, ‘tree’ and opilwa, ‘swamp’ ( Wikipedia 2021 ).