A medium tree with dark glossy leaves and red autumn color. Critical wildlife food and honey plant.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
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.
Source: Wikipedia — Nyssa sylvatica Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium-large tree with glossy oval leaves; brilliant red autumn color; small purple fruits.
Similar species. Other Nyssa species. Sourwood (smaller, different leaves).
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Native tree of southern US wetlands. Tupelo honey produced from flowers is among the most valued varietal honeys in North America.
§ Range
Eastern North America
§ Habitat
Wet forests, swamps
§ Threats
Wetland loss.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the tupelo is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support southern wetland conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Nyssa sylvatica
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Nyssa sylvatica
- iNaturalist · taxon 49202
- IUCN Red List — search for Nyssa sylvatica
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Nyssa sylvatica
§ Sources cited
- USDA Forest Service Silvics Manual
