Black Gum Tree Fruit

Black gum trees generally are deciduous so you would need both a male and a female for fruit production.

Black gum tree fruit. Black gum or sour gum tree facts can be rather fascinating for arborists who study this hardy towering native species. Blackgums prefer full sunlight but will tolerate filtered shade and prefer acid soils. Flowers are small and insignificant. Birds will eat the fruits but they are not desirable for human consumption.

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. The bitter inch blue black drupes are favored by wildlife but are not particularly ornamental. Blackgum is a medium sized tree common throughout north carolina. If they re not it still could be blackgum look for fruits.

Nyssa sylvatica commonly known as tupelo black tupelo black gum or sour gum is a medium sized deciduous tree native to eastern north america from the coastal northeastern united states and southern ontario south to central florida and eastern texas as well as mexico. Sometimes however the tree can grow perfect flowers making this ultimately a polygamodioecious species. This slow growing tree attains a height of 30 to 50 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet. The limbs most visible during winter have a characteristic horizontal appearance see the photo in the gallery below.

They are frequently confused with the similar leaves of common persimmon. Blackgum fruit are a half inch long appear in fall and are bluish black. Birds and squirrels favor the fruit produced by black gum which can be beneficial for a community if objectives are to increase wildlife activity. Black tupelo also called black gum tree pepperidge tree or simply tupelo is native to north america from new england to southern ontario to central florida eastern texas and mexico.

The yellowish white seeds are football shaped and have grooves running their entire length. Once the flowers are pollinated they form into black stone fruits drupes that mature in early fall. These nativars are hardy easy to care for maintain a consistent shape and provide stunning multi season fire red foliage. Rarely reaches 100 feet in the wild.

In the spring the first leaves of this tree emerge a brilliant fire wagon red which are. But really what s not to love. Pyramidal when young black gum develops an irregular rounded or flat topped form with age. However one minor issue reported by pedestrians and municipal employees is the fruit litter and animal droppings produced underneath the tree.

Black tupelo nyssa sylvatica also called black gum tree is a north eastern american native tree producing edible fruit in the fall. Young trees have a narrow triangular shape and mature trees usually attain a dome shape and a height of 40 to 60 feet. The leaves of the black gum tree are an elongated oval shape that offer a brilliant fall show. That s why i have one shading the southwest side of my home from the sun.

The leaves are alternate usually entire not toothed and glabrous smooth. The leaves flutter easily in the slightest of breezes and form a rounded canopy.