Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica Black Tupelo Sour Gum Pepperidge

Porcupine Hollow Farm
8593 W. State Rd.
Central Lake, Mi. 49622

Toll Free: 800 568-9179
Phone: (231)544-6769

Black Gum is a splendid ornamental tree of pyramidal shape and beautiful green leaves. A great specimen tree. Leaves will turn brilliant orange and red in the fall to contrast with bright blue small fruit which can hang in thru November.. The fruit is 1/2" long, blue-black ripens in the fall and is eaten by many birds and mammals. Bark is rough, dark gray, broken into many-sided plates. The twigs on a black gum are greenish or light brown, smooth or often downy. The wood is heavy, soft, strong, very tough, difficult to split, not durable in contact with the soil, pale yellow with thick whitish sapwood. The wood of a tupelo is used for mauls, pulleys and woodenware. Black Gum will grow in wet soil. Black Gum grow to 50' in height and a spread of 30'. Hardy from zone 4-9. Black Gum is a slow to medium grower and can grow a foot a year. Black Gum is difficult to transplant because of the taproot. Our rootbags simplify the moving task as the bag contains the taproot and as much as 90% of the trees root in the bag.

Pests: Scales and forest tent caterpillar can cause problems. Diseases of Black Gum, several fungi cause cankers and leaf spots. Black Gum prefers moist, well drained acid soils but is found even on dry hill tops. Sweet Gum prefers full sun to partial shade. Native from Maine to Michigan to Texas and Florida. It is found as far north as Manistee in the lower peninsula of Michigan. We sell Black Gum wholesale and retail.

Member of Central Lake Chamber of Commerce