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| ## blackgum {#blackgum .Title-Header}                                 |
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| *Nyssa sylvatica* Marsh.                                              |
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| Plant Symbol = NYSY                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

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**Alternate Names**

Black tupelo, blackgum, sour gum, pepperidge, tupelo, and tupelo-gum

## 

# Uses

*Erosion Control:* Reestablishes well in erosion prone areas like burned
over forest, abandoned fields, rolling hills and cold mountain swamps.

*Wildlife:* Black bears, foxes, wood ducks, wild turkeys, robins,
woodpeckers, mockingbirds, brown thrashers, thrushes, flickers, and
starlings frequently eat the fruit, while white-tailed deer and beavers
browse the twigs, foliage, and young sprouts. Additionally, provides
cavity and nesting sites for a variety of birds and mammals and a good
honey tree.

*Timber:* Its wood is used for light, non-splitting woodwork such as in
docks and wharves; veneer, containers, crossties, and pallets.

*Recreation and Beautification:* Excellent ornamental plant for its
straight bole, shapely crown and attractive autumn foliage.

# 

# Status

# Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant's ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.2916666666666665in" height="3.4375in"}

# current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

# Description

*Nyssa sylvatica* is a medium to large-sized native tree, frequently 60
to 80 ft tall and 3 to 4 ft in diameter. It typically has dense foliage
with a conical crown on straight trunk. The simple, alternate leaves are
leathery, and densely clustered at the branchlets. The small greenish
white flowers are borne singly or in clusters. The bark is reddish brown
and broken into deep irregular ridges and diamond-shaped plates.

# *Distribution*: Blackgum grows from Maine west to New York, extreme southern Ontario, central Michigan, Illinois, central Missouri, and south to central Florida. 

## 

# Adaptation

A wide variety of sites have adapted to the Blackgum. They range from
the creek bottoms of the southern Coastal Plain to altitudes of 3,000
feet in North Carolina. It grows best on well-drained, light-textured
soils on the low ridges of second bottoms and on the high flats of silt
alluvium. Blackgum will tolerate brief spring flooding on alluvial sites
and is common on the relatively dry upper and middle slopes in the
Appalachian Mountains. On the drier uplands, it grows best on loam and
clay loam. It is well adapted to fire. Older trees have thick bark and
relatively high moisture content. Although aboveground portions of young
trees are top-killed by fire, it typically survives by sprouting from
the root crown or caudex.

## 

# Establishment

Blackgum is usually found in a mix of other species including black
cherry (*Prunus serotina*), dogwood (*Cornus florida*), hickory (*Carya*
spp.), oak (*Quercus* spp.), eastern hophornbeam (*Ostrya*
*virginiana*), and yaupon (*Ilex vomitoria*), it is shade tolerant and
seldom grows as the dominant tree but it usually grows in the
intermediate crown class on most sites. It responds favorably to
releases from overtopping vegetation. Seedlings grow slowly under a
fully stocked stand. At the time of disturbance, large numbers of new
seedlings can become established.

Smaller blackgum stumps sprout readily and larger stumps sprout and
develop root suckers. Layering can be used to produce stocks.

*Propagation from Seed*: Seed production is highly variable,
disseminated primarily by gravity and birds, others generally fall to
the ground and remain dormant in the litter or are carried by water.
Seeds overwinter on cool, damp soil and germinate the following spring.
Blackgum requires nearly full sunlight for optimum early growth.
Pre-chilled seeds must be sown in spring. Seeds are drilled at the rate
of 15 ft per row and covered with ½ - 1 inch of soil. A mulch of sawdust
is often used. Beds must be kept moist.

*Propagation from Stumps*: Blackgum sprouts from the stump following
disturbance. Smaller sour gum stumps sprout readily while larger stumps
sprout occasionally. Sprouts arise from suppressed buds and are
concentrated near the top of the stump. Stump sprouts can produce seeds
at 2 years of age.

## 

# Management

Seedling establishment is best accomplished by the shelterwood method.
Regeneration can also be accomplished by clear-cutting if prior to a
good seed fall or if advanced regeneration already exist. Due to the
high palatability of seedlings and sprouts, controlling deer populations
can protect Black tupelo. It often competes with loblolly and short-leaf
pine for water and light, reducing its growth and development. Basal
tree injections with herbicide is an effective control method for crown
kill. Intermediate trees respond favorably to release from overhead
vegetation; seedlings respond to reduction in canopy cover with
relatively rapid height growth.

# Pests

Tupelo leaf minors (*Antispila nyssaefolia*) and forest tent caterpillar
(*Malacosoma disstria*) attacks Black tupelo causing growth loss and
occasional mortality.

# Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Materials are readily available from nurseries throughout its range.
Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

# Prepared By

#### *Lincoln M. Moore*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

# 

# Species Coordinator

*Lincoln M. Moore*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 18apr02 jsp; 060802 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
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*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
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