The illustrated growing guide
Black Gum (Tupelo)
Nyssa sylvatica
Family Nyssaceae
Est. zones 4-9
One of the best native shade trees, and criminally underplanted: the earliest and most reliable scarlet fall color of any tree (glossy leaves turning fire-red), a premier source of nectar (tupelo honey), heavy bird food, and it tolerates both wet and dry sites. Pest-free, long-lived, and beautiful in every season. If you want one native shade tree for fall color, this is a top pick.
Full Sun to Part Shade
Moderate water
Slow-Moderate growth
Native to North America
Attracts beesI
Overview
Will black gum (tupelo) suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what black gum (tupelo) actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Black Gum (Tupelo) at a glance
Common black gum (tupelo) problems
- Almost none — remarkably pest-free
- Almost none
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow black gum (tupelo): light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate black gum (tupelo)
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The year
What black gum (tupelo) asks for, month by month.
The black gum (tupelo) year, month by month
BloomPruneWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The black gum (tupelo) year as text
- Jan pruning
- Feb pruning
- Mar bloom
- Apr bloom
- May bloom
- Jun quiet month
- Jul quiet month
- Aug quiet month
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec pruning
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Black Gum (Tupelo) in the garden system
- Canopy layer tree
- Nectary/insectary
What black gum (tupelo) is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Harvesting & storing black gum (tupelo)
Small blue-black fruits feed birds and wildlife (too sour for people).
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of black gum (tupelo), ruled as a catalogue.
Best black gum (tupelo) varieties & cultivars
'Wildfire' (red new growth); 'Afterburner'; 'Green Gable' — mostly for reliable fall color
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to black gum (tupelo)yet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Black Gum (Tupelo) questions, answered straight.
Is black gum (tupelo) safe for kids and pets?
Black Gum (Tupelo) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest black gum (tupelo)?
Small blue-black fruits feed birds and wildlife (too sour for people).
How do you propagate black gum (tupelo)?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
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Elsewhere
Where black gum (tupelo) sits in the library.
Maple
Oak
Tulip Poplar
Bald Cypress