The black gum tree is a shade tree native to North America and hardy to United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 4b through 9. PROPAGATION: By seed, cuttings or transplants. Black tupelo goes by many names, including black gum, sour gum, tupelo, bee gum, and pepperidge tree. Also known as a black tupelo or sourgum, this slow-growing tree thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. It grows 30 to 50 feet tall and has glossy green leaves and colorful fall foliage. PROPAGATION: By seed, cuttings or transplants. Some susceptibility to leaf spots, canker, rust, leaf miner and scale. It turns a brilliant scarlet in fall. Find help & information on Nyssa sylvatica tupelo from the RHS This wide-ranging native tree is among the first to change its colors. Black gum has few disease or insect problems. Summer leaves are a dark green with a high-gloss appearance, but the most spectacular part of this tree is the fall foliage with many shades of yellow, orange, bright red, purple or … Black gum trees are susceptible to heart rot fungal disease in which the heartwood and limbs decay from the inside out. A variety of Black Tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica biflora (Swamp Tupelo), is very similar to the typical variety that is described here. Too much summer sun can cause sunburn, which turns the leaves brown and dry. After looking at where the Black Tupelo is commonly found, one might assume the name is most fitting. Artist's conk is a fungus that enters the tree through wounds or openings in the bark. Black tupelo goes by many names, including black gum, sour gum, tupelo, bee gum, and pepperidge tree. But the shape of the crown varies from tree to tree and, unfortunately, this is looked upon by some architects as undesirable. Black Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica One of the most attractive native trees around. Its lateral branches remain thin in diameter and form a pattern like spokes on a wheel when observed from below. The seeds need to be sown immediately after collection in the fall or stratified for 30 to 60 days at about 40 degrees. Look for discolored or damaged foliage, as well as abnormal-looking bark and branches. By: Gerald Klingaman, retired Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals Extension News - September 8, 2000 Also called sour gum, tupelo or black tupelo, the black gum tree (Nyssa sylvatica) comes from the eastern U.S. and grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. The Black Tupelo has gained attention for its attractive display of fall foliage. Your plant’s twigs, branches or leaves will be covered in a grimy, black soot. The word “Nyssa” refers to a water nymph in Greek, whereas “tupelo” is of an American origin. Blooming occurs May through June; fruiting occurs mid-June through August. Botryosphaeria Canker Botryosphaeria canker is caused by the fungus of the same name, according to the Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension. Black tupelo is a beautiful native tree with few problems and beautiful foliage. The binomial name of black tupelo is Nyssa sylvatica. Lower branches droop with age and will need to b… Botryosphaeria canker is caused by the fungus of the same name, according to the Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension. Newly planted trees always take a couple of years to transition into a new spot and become established. The black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) tree, also known as the tupelo or sour gum, is a hardwood occurring in the eastern and southeastern United States that grows up to 80 feet.The tree is important commercially and is a popular food plant for honeybees, producing the sought-after tupelo honey. 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 Names. The dark green glossy summer foliage takes center stage in fall when the leaves turn bright scarlet. Caused by the verticillium fungi, this wilt attacks many plants, including black gum trees. Prevent the disease by providing adequate fertilizer and water; plant only healthy black gum trees. Landscape Trees Blackgum; Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) Although not considered a ‘bread & butter’ shade tree in the nursery industry, black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is well worth the hunt.Native from Ontario, and spreading south to Texas and Florida, this underutilized tree is a ‘hot plant’ for Arkansas. Phytophthora can cause root or crown rot, which may not be evident until the black gum's leaves begin to wilt and appear water-stressed or change colors prematurely. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. The tree is best transplanted from container grown plants. This species has two common names: black gum, referring to the dark leaves; while tupelo is derived from the Creek Indian name for the tree (ito opilwa), which means "swamp tree". aquatica has a buttressed and swollen trunk base and grows in swamps. She is currently an editor for a national technical magazine focusing on the construction industry. Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is a member of the Cornaceae (formerly Nyssaceae) family.According to GRIN taxonomy, there are six species of this genus. Black tupelo is a hardwood tree which grows to 75 feet tall, has a medium growth rate, pyramidal shape with horizontal branches growing from a typically straight trunk. Furthermore, while the black gum tree typically doesn’t have any serious issues with pests or diseases, keep an eye out for leaf spots, cankers, leaf miners, and scale. Planting a tree involves more than knowing its cold hardiness. The disease can cause leaves to yellow or become stunted and fall from the tree too soon. The Tree is a deciduous tree, it will be 15 - 20 m (49 - 66 ft) high. A Hambidge Fellow, Lynn studied English at Columbus State University. In fall, The black gum often holds out a little later for its show, but when transitions you can't mistake it. Black Tupelo or Nyssa sylvatica is the most common true gum in North America and grows from Canada to Texas. This species has two common names: black gum, referring to the dark leaves; while tupelo is derived from the Creek Indian name for the tree (ito opilwa), which means "swamp tree". ... Additional pests and problems that may affect this plant: Can be difficult to transplant due to a … Prune in late fall or during dormant season. If you suspect phytophthora, consider improving drainage around the tree roots so the soil dries out more quickly and to eliminate any areas of standing water. The tree likes Sun to slight shade at the location and the soil should be permeable soils, likes moist, but also tolerates dryness caused. Disinfect pruning tools between cuts and between trees. Similar to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) can cause leaves to wilt and die, but it usually appears on only one side of the tree at first, before spreading to other areas. Blackgum or Black Tupelo is a native deciduous tree that grows throughout North Carolina and can reach 50 to 80 feet tall, but typically reaches 20 to 30 feet in cultivation. Black leaf spot is one of several leaf spot diseases caused by fungus. Keeping the black gum tree healthy helps it resist and recover from disease more easily. Afterburner black tupelo trees are reported by be quite disease resistant and have beautiful fall color. Summer leaves are a dark green with a high-gloss appearance, but the most spectacular part of this tree is the fall foliage with many shades of yellow, orange, bright red, purple or scarlet that may appear on the same branch. Black Tupelo-- Black Gum-- Sour Gum-- Started by Okrafarmer on Sawmills and Milling. Nyssa sylvatica, Black Tupelo leaves and unripe fruits (Photo By: Richard Webb / bugwood.org) Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) , also called black gum tree is a North Eastern American native tree producing edible fruit in the fall. Planting the tree too deep initially can slow growth and cause the tree to wilt and fail, with leaves curling or becoming distorted and dying. These leaf spot diseases affect all shade trees, including the black gum tree, according to the University of Illinois Extension. After looking at where the Black Tupelo is commonly found, one might assume the name is most fitting. The fungus attacks trees that are stressed, so prevention is key to keeping black gum trees healthy. You may be familiar with one of the numerous other names the tree goes by, including gum tree, sour gum, bowl gum, yellow gum and tupelo gum. Trunk diameter is typically 1 to 2 feet, but can reach 4 to 5 feet in taller specimens. When watering black gum trees, don't allow the trunk to get wet. Sour Gum or Black Gum Tree Tupelo, Pepperidge, Sour or Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica, Marsh. Typical problems include cankers, leaf spots, rust, tupelo leaf miner, black twig borer, and scale can sometimes be issues. Leaf spots multiply at the end of the growing season. Black Tupelo (Black Gum), Nyssa sylvatica, one of the most attractive native trees around. Trunk diameter is typically 1 to 2 feet, but can reach 4 to 5 feet in taller specimens. 53 Replies 6399 Views April 26, 2012, 09:23:31 AM by Okrafarmer : Black Tupelo or (Gum) Started by rvolek on Forestry and Logging. An arborist can help you identify the problem and determine the best course to treat it. In extreme cases, the bark peels away, revealing discolored underbark. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension: Botryosphaeria Canker and Dieback of Trees and Shrubs in the Landscape, University of Illinois Extension: Fungal Leaf Spot Diseases of Shade and Ornamental Trees in the Midwest, University of California: Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Wood Decay Fungi in Landscape Trees. As the tree grows to 10 and 15-years-old, crown form becomes more uniform among trees. The leaves are ovoid and the flowers are white. 7 Replies 1361 Views September 15, 2012, 06:33:57 AM by Ron Wenrich Black gum prefers moist soil and grows well in wet soils, but that is just the type of soil phytophthora pathogens like, too. The leaves flutter easily in the slightest of breezes and form a rounded canopy. Varnish fungus rot is a slow moving white fungus that attacks the roots and trunk of black gum trees. Diseases of the Canada Red Chokecherry Tree, Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute: Sour Gum, Missouri Botanical Garden: Nyssa Sylvatica, University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Fusarium, Missouri Botanical Garden: Verticillium Wilt, University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot in the Garden, North Dakota State University: Abiotic Disorders of Trees, University of Minnesota Extension: Abiotic Problems, University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Identification and Confirmation: Mineral Deficiency, The Black Root Rot Disease in an Orange Tree. A Drive 1293 Tupelo woman said her 25-year-old nephew showed up uninvited and unwelcomed. PROBLEMS: It cannot grow in the black and white or other alkaline clay soils of the state. Prevent the disease by practicing good habits such as regular watering and fertilizing the tree to keep it healthy. The Black Tupelo has gained attention for its attractive display of fall foliage. The Division of Forestry promotes and applies management for the sustainable use and protection of Ohio’s private and public forest lands. This fungus enters the black gum tree through the root system. Although relatively pest free, black gum leaves can occasionally suffer from diseases. The black gum is susceptible to fungal diseases including botryosphaeria canker, leaf spot infections and heart rot infections. The Black Tupelo is botanically called Nyssa sylvatica. Avoid wounding the tree with lawn mowers or other gardening tools, as wounds allow pathogens to enter the tree more easily. Black gum trees are susceptible to heart rot fungal disease in which the heartwood and limbs decay from the inside out. Black gum or sour gum tree facts can be rather fascinating for arborists who study this hardy, towering native species. Plant nursery stock no deeper in the yard than it was in its nursery container. The roots have to grow into the new area. A variety of Black Tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica biflora (Swamp Tupelo), is very similar to the typical variety that is described here. The symptoms include branch wilt and dieback. The Tree is a deciduous tree, it will be 15 - 20 m (49 - 66 ft) high. You know fall foliage is on the way when you see the brilliant red leaves of the black gum. The most widely distributed member in North America is the black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), also known as black gum, sour gum, or pepperidge tree.It grows in woods and moist areas from Maine southward to the Gulf Coast and westward to Oklahoma. Many people believe that someone may have dumped ashes or may have even caught the plant on fire when they first see this plant mold. The black gum tree is a shade tree native to North America and hardy to United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 4b through 9. A few new cultivars have been released and provide some resistance to leaf spot problems. 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