Black tupelo (Black gum)

Nyssa sylvatica

Eastern North American native tree with glossy leaves that turn brilliant scarlet, orange and yellow in mid-autumn — often considered the single most spectacular native tree for autumn colour.

Hardiness ratings

Black tupelo (Black gum) hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 4–9 −34.4 °C to −1.1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H6 −20 °C to −15 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 4–8 −29 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 2–6 −10 °C to 15 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Reliable scarlet-orange autumn colour from late September through October — one of the very best autumn trees in cultivation
  • Tolerates wet ground better than most autumn-colour trees — happy in seasonally flooded sites
  • Resents transplanting — site as a young container-grown plant for the long term
  • Important honey tree in its native range — flowers are tiny but bee-attractive

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Black tupelo (Black gum) against your zones

Reference

Black tupelo (Black gum) on Wikipedia