blackgum
Family
NyssaceaeScientific Name
Nyssa sylvaticaOther Common Names:
pepperidge
tupelo-gum
tupelo
sourgum
Synonyms (former Scientific Names):
Nyssa sylvatica var. typica
Nyssa sylvatica var. caroliniana
Nyssa sylvatica var. dilatata
Leaves
The simple, alternate leaves are
leathery, and densely clustered at the branchlets.
Identifying Characteristics
It is a medium- to large-sized tree,
frequently 60 to 80 ft high and 3 to 4 ft in diameter; it
typically has dense foliage with a conical crown on a
straight trunk
Flower Seed Head
The
small greenish white flowers are borne singly or in
clusters. The bark is reddish brown and broken into
deep irregular ridges and diamond-shaped plates
Where Found
Nyssa sylvatica Marsh., blackgum, grows from
Maine west to New York, extreme southern Ontario,
central Michigan, Illinois, central Missouri, and south
to central Florida. Blackgum is distributed throughout the East and
lower Midwest
Growth Habit
woody bush or tree
Thorns or Spines
not present
Approximate Flower Diameter
half dollar
Dominant Flower Color
green
Flower Symmetry
radial symmetery
Leaf Hairs
no hairs
Leaf Shape
oval
Leaf Arrangement
opposite
Leaf Margin
entire
Leaf Structure
simple
Leaf Stalk
shorter than leaf
Stem Hairs
no hairs
Stem Cross Section
round or oval
Milky Sap
not present
Life Cycle
perennial
Ochrea
not present
Plant Type
Tree