Black Tupelo

Scientific Name: Nyssa sylvatica

Family: Cornaceae

Origin: Northeastern US

Black Tupelo Trunk
Tupelo Leaves and Fruit, Almost Mature

Why is it called Tupelo? Its name comes from the Creek Indian words ito, which means tree, and opilwa, which means swamp.

Common Names: Blackgum, Sourgum and Pepperidge, Tupelo, Black Tupelo

Mature Height: 30-50 feet

Mature Width/Spread: 20-30 feet

Leaves: Shiny dark green alternate leaves that are oval, spear-tipped, with smooth edges

Flowers? Yes.  Clusters of small greenish white flowers at the top of a long stalk. They are a rich source of nectar for bees.

Bark: Light-brown to reddish-brown with scaly ridges and fissures that look like alligator skin

In the fall, the leaves become: various colors including yellow, orange, scarlet and purple

Did you know…

  • The fruits on the trees ripens in the fall, and is eaten by many birds and mammals.
  • On Martha’s Vineyard the tree is referred to as “beetlebug”.
  • Bees make a tasty honey from its flowers? In Florida, beekeepers keep beehives along the Apalachicola River in the Florida Panhandle to produce Tupelo Honey.
Tupelo Leaves in Autumn
Tupelo Leaves in Autumn

Sources

http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/tupelo

https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/tupelo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyssa_sylvatica

Photo Credit

This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Chhe at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide.

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