Blackgum Sourgum Black Tupelo Tree 10 Seeds -Shrub/Tree | Hirts Gardens

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Hirt's Gardens
4943 Ridge Rd.
Medina (Granger Township),Ohio, 44281

The sour gum is outstanding in early fall when its 2- to 5-inch shiny green leaves take on warm tones of orange and red. One of the few deciduous trees that have autumn color in mild climates, it is also valuable in wet, swampy areas where few other trees survive. The sour gum grows from 5-6 feet to about 20 feet in 10-15 years, usually reaching 30 to 50 feet with a spread equal to half its height. Young trees have a conical shape, but older ones become irregular and flat-topped; young or old, they have distinctive horizontal branches that dip slightly at the tips. This is apparent throughout the year but is especially effective in winter after the leaves have fallen. In early summer sour gums bear tiny greenish yellow male and female flowers on separate trees. If trees of both sexes happen to be near one another, the flowers on the female trees are followed in early fall by clusters of 1/2-inch blue-black fruit, which are not very tasty to humans but are eagerly eaten by birds. The sour gum has notably pest-free foliage and even succeeds in seaside gardens if protected from wind.
How To Grow Sour Gum
The sour gum is hardy to Zone 3. It does best in full sun and moist acid soil (pH 5.5 to 6.5) but tolerates light shade and ordinary garden soil provided it is watered deeply during dry weather.

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