North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Nyssaceae > Nyssa (tupelo, gum tree)

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Common in forests across North Carolina, Black Gum fruits in the fall, providing an important food source for migrating birds.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Twig detail, showing pale buds.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Rowan Co., NC
23 Sep 2012

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Rowan Co., NC
23 Sep 2012

Upper leaf surfaces are very shiny, while the undersides are not.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Occasionally, Black Gum leaves will have a couple of teeth near the leaf tip, but the majority of leaves do not show this feature.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

All summer long, a large Black Gum tree usually shows a few scattered red leaves, making it easy to identify from a distance!

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Black Gum branching is often orthogonal, meaning the branches stick straight out approximately 90 degrees from the main trunk.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
20 Sep 2012

Bark of a medium-sized tree

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Rowan Co., NC
23 Sep 2012

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Rowan Co., NC
23 Sep 2012


Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Washington Co., NC
21 June 2006

Common in the NC coastal plain (rare in piedmont), Swamp Tupelo grows in water-saturated soils along blackwater rivers, swamps, etc.

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Washington Co., NC
21 June 2006

Fruits are drupes and ripen in the fall to a deep blue color.

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Washington Co., NC
21 June 2006

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Carteret Co., NC
26 Aug 2012

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Carteret Co., NC
26 Aug 2012

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Carteret Co., NC
26 Aug 2012

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Carteret Co., NC
26 Aug 2012

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Pender Co., NC
13 Sep 2009

Leaves are often, but not necessarily, shiny above.

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Pender Co., NC
13 Sep 2009

By late summer, a scattering of red leaves is visible on most Nyssa trees.

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Pender Co., NC
13 Sep 2009

Young bark may be fairly smooth

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Pender Co., NC
13 Sep 2009

Medium age bark forms flattened plates.

Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora) Swamp Tupelo, Water Gum, Swamp Black Gum (Nyssa biflora)
Washington Co., NC
21 June 2006

Bark of larger tree.


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; Alan Weakley's Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Supplemental resources include USDA plants website, and NatureServe.


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Created on ... Mar 1, 2007 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com