Nyssa
Blackgum
Nyssa sylvatica
$3.00per seedling
Bulk pricing
Price per seedling based on total seedlings in your cart, across all species.
- 10–249 seedlings$3.00 / seedling
- 250–499 seedlings$2.50 / seedling
- 500–999 seedlings$2.00 / seedling
- 1,000–2,499 seedlings$1.75 / seedling
- 2,500–4,999 seedlings$1.50 / seedling
- 5,000+ seedlings$1.25 / seedling
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Quick facts
- Mature size
- — 30–60 ft tall · 20–30 ft wide
- Growth speed
- — Slow — under 1 ft of new growth a year
- Sunlight
- — Full sun (6+ hrs direct sun) · Part shade (4–6 hrs)
- Soil
- — Average / moist · Wet / occasionally flooded
- Good for
- — Wildlife food & habitat · Yard, shade & beauty · Pollinators · Streamside & wet areas
- Wildlife
- — Their dark blue berries (drupes) are good for migrating birds, wild turkeys, and small mammals.
About this species
Native to the entire eastern United States and is found in all of Ohio except for the driest counties in the northwestern part of the state. Also having the common names of black tupelo, sour gum, and Pepperidge, this tree is known for its glossy dark green summer foliage and outstanding autumn foliage colors. Blackgum is a member of the tupelo family, with other members of the genus Nyssa as its close relatives, and dogwoods as distant relatives.
Planting notes
Blackgum strongly prefers moist, well-drained, rich, deep, acidic soils, but adapts surprisingly well to dry, average, alkaline soils, but with reduced growth vigor and lighter-colored or chlorotic leaves. It is found in zones 4 to 9, and grows best in full sun or partial sun, but adapts well to partial shade, especially in youth.