Black Gum
Scientific Name: Nyssa sylvatica
— pronounced NIH-suh sil-VAT-ih-kuh
— Nyssa from the name of a Greek water nymph (the first Nyssa species to be described, N. aquatica, grows in swamps and floodplains)
— sylvatica, of the woods, from Latin sylva, forest
Tupelo Family (Nyssaceae), which includes about 37 species, most of them in east Asia. This family is sometimes included in the Dogwood Family (Cornaceae). Other Common Names: Tupelo, Black Tupelo, Sour Gum, Pepperidge
Black Gum is a medium-sized tree. Usually most or all of its branches are at right angles to the trunk – a good clue to its identity. The Black Gum’s leaves are simple in form, 3 - 5 inches long, dark green and glossy above and paler below. The edges are usually smooth, but occasionally toothed towards the tip. A young Black Gum’s bark is gray-brown, with irregular, shallow furrows; later, the bark becomes blocky, some say resembling alligator hide.
— pronounced NIH-suh sil-VAT-ih-kuh
— Nyssa from the name of a Greek water nymph (the first Nyssa species to be described, N. aquatica, grows in swamps and floodplains)
— sylvatica, of the woods, from Latin sylva, forest
Tupelo Family (Nyssaceae), which includes about 37 species, most of them in east Asia. This family is sometimes included in the Dogwood Family (Cornaceae). Other Common Names: Tupelo, Black Tupelo, Sour Gum, Pepperidge
Black Gum is a medium-sized tree. Usually most or all of its branches are at right angles to the trunk – a good clue to its identity. The Black Gum’s leaves are simple in form, 3 - 5 inches long, dark green and glossy above and paler below. The edges are usually smooth, but occasionally toothed towards the tip. A young Black Gum’s bark is gray-brown, with irregular, shallow furrows; later, the bark becomes blocky, some say resembling alligator hide.
The fruit is a drupe: a fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central pit. Fruits turn purple-blue in the late summer and fall.
Photos of leaves, bark, and fruit by David Rosher
More photos and info: VA Tech dendrology.
Black Gum does best on moist, well-drained, acidic soil, but it also adapts to extreme climates, tolerates wet conditions, and is resistant to drought. It is highly shade tolerant and can exist as an understory tree for a long time. Black Gum is found throughout the Preserve, mostly as scattered individuals.
Interesting facts:
More photos and info: VA Tech dendrology.
Black Gum does best on moist, well-drained, acidic soil, but it also adapts to extreme climates, tolerates wet conditions, and is resistant to drought. It is highly shade tolerant and can exist as an understory tree for a long time. Black Gum is found throughout the Preserve, mostly as scattered individuals.
Interesting facts:
- Black Gum is among the slowest-growing species in eastern forests — and can live to be 650 years old.
- As a Black Gum ages, its limbs deteriorate, leaving holes in the trunk that are used as dens by squirrels, raccoons, and opossums, and as nesting sites by cavity-nesting birds.
- The flowers produce abundant nectar and are pollinated by bees, including honeybees, and other insects.
- Its fruits are a valuable energy-food in the fall for both local and migrating birds, and for mammals as well. The Black Gum’s leaves begin to take on their fall color early, becoming brilliant scarlet. If you see a single bright leaf along a Brushy Hills trail in August, look for a nearby Black Gum!