Black Gum Tree Wood
The black gum tree can grow to a towering 75 feet in height with a canopy stretching out to 35 feet.
Black gum tree wood. Blackgum also called black tupelo tupelo gum or just tupelo is a tree that loves to grow in water and water soaked soils. The resilient wood is good for making tool handles. Black gum is an excellent choice to add autumn color to your garden. Tupelo is a favored wood for wildfowl carvings.
However most black gum trees settle in at around 30 feet with a span of 20 feet of leafy branches. 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. Black gum is excellent for turning. The name tupelo is of native american origin coming from the muskogee words ito tree and opilwa swamp.
Black gum s twisted interlocked grain makes it nearly impossible to split but in veneer form perfect for berry baskets. Black gum is one of the best honey producing trees in the world. Carving furniture crates boxes and utility wood. It has a sweet odor when cut a tight and tortuous grain pattern with burl characteristics especially in the crooked limbs.
It needs full sun to grow to its fullest height although it can flourish in part shade as well. In fact the genus nyssa is the name of a water nymph. This wood species is not listed in the cites appendices or on the iucn red list of threatened species. It is favored for its brilliant fall foliage and its winter form which displays attractively dropping branches over time.
The national champion black gum 67 feet is in new jersey.