Also punctuated blackgum and black-gum.
Part of
family Nyssaceae.
Native to eastern 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇲🇽 North America.
🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48)
(color key),
🗺 map (North America, Central America),
🗺 today + with climate change (eastern 🇺🇸 USA).
🍯︎ Honey made from ❀ tupelo flowers is the 🏛🍯︎ state honey of Florida.
Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)
Nyssa hosts caterpillars of 30 species
of butterflies and moths, in some areas.
This plant is also known to be a host for (in areas where invasive)
🐝︎ spotted lanternfly (SLF) Lycorma delicatula.
In its native area, recommended as a specimen tree.
Way cool, loved by many of my buddies (and uncommon enough that it really stands out), gives great red 🍃︎ autumn color, and visual interest in other seasons. Adapted to wet sites. Slow growing, but totally worth the wait. Transplanting can be difficult, except in the 🌱︎⚘ spring.
Planting info (SW Michigan).