Black Gum Tree is a slow-growing deciduous tree with straight trunk and rounded crown that is native to the south east.  The lightly toothed shiny dark green foliage turns a spectacular scarlet in fall.  The clusters of non-showy greenish-white flowers are an excellent source of nectar for pollinators.  The flowers give way to small incredibly sour blue-black berries in fall.  Best grown in part sun and well-drained soils.  

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance.  Scale, rust, canker, and leaf spots can be occasional problems.  Can tolerate both standing water and some drought.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Shade Tree, and Privacy Screen. 

COMPANION PLANTS: Bald Cypress, Swamp Oak, Swamp Rosemallow

IMAGE: Bostonian13, Nyssa sylvatica tree, CC BY-SA 3.0

Famartin, 2014-11-02 12 47 37 Black Tupelo foliage during autumn at the College of New Jersey in Ewing, New Jersey, CC BY-SA 4.0