Nyssa sylvatica - Tupelo

Nyssa sylvatica, also known as Black gum or Tupelo, is a beautiful deciduous tree native to the United States, appreciated for its magnificent autumn foliage. Its habit, pyramidal to conical, is truly elegant. And its trunk, straight up to its top, is covered with a grey-brown bark covered with thick ridges resembling an "alligator" skin on mature subjects. It is best reserved for large gardens and areas that are both acidic and moist to simply fresh.

Nyssa sylvatica belongs to the family of Nyssaceae or Cornaceae, it is native to the eastern United States and still little cultivated in our latitudes. The Tupelo can reach 35m (114ft) in height in its country of origin, but with us, it will rarely exceed 20m (65ft) in height. Its growth is rather slow. The Black gum has a broad, elegant conical habit, rising in magnificent symmetry and a curious trunk, covered with a brown-grey bark that flakes and grooves with age. It has almost horizontal branches and fairly slender twigs, pale green to orange, then reddish-brown. Its leaves, oval and smooth, measuring 10-12cm (3.9 - 4.7in) in length, with undulate edges, are a dark green or glossy greenish-yellow until summer. Each leaf is carried by a red petiole. From September, they turn into a flamboyant range of colours including yellow, orange, red, and purple. In Tupelo trees, they are often either male or female, although hermaphrodite subjects also exist. The small clusters of white-green flowers are honey-bearing and bloom in summer. On female or hermaphrodite subjects, they are followed by shiny, dark purple berries, 25mm (1in) in length, particularly highlighted by the autumn foliage and highly appreciated by birds. Nyssa sylvatica has a good longevity as it can live up to 600 years.

Nyssa sylvatica will be cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, where it will express its full potential as a shade tree or specimen. It shows more harmonious development when grown in sheltered conditions, without excessive competition. Combine it with the Bald cypress, Liquidambars, or Red maples, which require almost the same growing conditions. You can also plant two species of ferns at its base, such as Sensitive fern, in neutral to acidic and moist soil, and the Marsh fern, ideal for river or marsh scenes, in light shade or sun.

Nyssa sylvatica is dedicated to Nyssa, the water nymph, as it requires moist soil throughout the year to survive. Deer are extremely fond of leaves on seedlings and young plants, to the point that large populations of these cervids can make the establishment of the tree almost impossible.