Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum or Tupelo or Black Tupelo)
Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum or Tupelo or Black Tupelo)
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$30 minimum per species for seed.
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Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) refers to the percentage of a seed lot that consists of the desired species and is viable (capable of germination).
Here's why PLS is crucial for native seeds:
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Accurate Planting:
- PLS helps determine the actual number of viable seeds in a given weight or volume of seed.
- This ensures you plant the correct amount of seed to achieve the desired density and success rate.
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Cost-Effectiveness:
- By knowing the PLS, you can avoid overspending on seed that may not germinate.
- This is especially important for native seeds, which can be more expensive than some cultivated varieties.
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Weed Control:
- PLS helps minimize the presence of weed seeds within the seed lot.
- This reduces competition for resources and ensures the successful establishment of the desired native plants.
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Ecological Restoration:
- Using high-quality native seeds with a high PLS is essential for successful ecological restoration projects.
- It helps to re-establish diverse and resilient plant communities that support local wildlife.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
Black gum develops into a substantial tree with a generally upright crown. Moisture-retaining loam, silt, or clay-loam suits it across sun and light shade.
For Nyssa sylvatica, choose full sun to light shade and moist to mesic soil. Recorded habitats include rocky upland woods; Wooded slopes; Upland sand flats; Floodplain woods; Higher swamp ground and edges; Shaded seep and spring margins. Reported height: 40-80 ft.
Its below-ground structure is described as long taproot. Choose the permanent location with that root structure and the mature size in mind. Planning the surrounding space at planting time reduces the need to reorganize an established bed later.
Plant specifications & ecological relationships
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full sun to light shade |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Moist to mesic |
| Height | 40-80 ft |
| Bloom season | Late spring |
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Usually single-trunked with an elongated crown; forked trunks can produce more open, irregular crowns |
|---|---|
| Root form | Long taproot |
| Soil pH | Prefers acidic soil; alkaline soil is unsuitable |
| Cultivation hardiness zones | Zones 4a–9b (general cultivation guidance) |
| Drought tolerance | Tolerates some drought; the account specifically notes this in wild populations |
| Deer browsing | White-tailed deer browse twigs in winter. |
| Salt tolerance | Salt tolerance reported in cultivation guidance; dose and exposure route are not specified. |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Nyssa sylvatica |
|---|---|
| Other common names | sour gum; Blackgum; Black Gum; Black Tupelo; Common Tupelo Tree; Cotton Gum; Nyssa; Pepperidge; Sour Gum; Tupelo |
| Seed germination | USDA lists cold stratification as required; duration is not specified. |
| Plant family | Nyssaceae |
| Seeds per pound — reference estimate | 3360 |
Plant characteristics
Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum) is a striking specimen, shade, or even street tree with its glossy green leaves in the summer and blazing red fall leaves. Although the flowers are not particularly showy they are a rich nectar source for bees and its seed are a valuable food source for birds. This tree is a beloved to the informed as it is very pretty and adds a nice bit of diversity to the urban and suburban forest!
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates
Illinois plant communities
These regional accounts place this plant and the plants below in the same type of natural community. A community list does not mean that every species grew together in one plot. Use the habitat and location to understand the relationship; it is not a planting recipe.
- Sand flatwoods — Kankakee River sand deposits and Chicago Lake Plain, Illinois: Quercus palustris, Quercus alba, Carex cumulata, Comptonia peregrina, Drosera intermedia, Polygonum careyi, Viola primulifolia. Pin oak occupies the wetter flatwoods; white oak and black gum are recorded on slightly raised ground. (pp. 266)
Other documented plant associations
These published associations show how this plant fits into natural vegetation. The region and community are identified for each list; moisture, shade and flooding can differ within a community.
Tree and shrub associates of eastern hophornbeam
Species-range synthesis; localities vary
Forest overstory associates of northern red oak
Eastern North America; species-range synthesis
Central hardwood forests; different stand types
Central part of the American hornbeam range
Southern mixed-hardwood and loblolly-pine forests
Southern part of the American hornbeam range
Other regional plant communities
These plants are named with this species in published vegetation accounts. Each list keeps its community and region; some records describe a shared vegetation type rather than neighboring plants in a measured plot. They are ecological records, not a planting recipe, and may include plants unsuitable for a particular garden.
- Bottomland forest trees (Northern Forest Region): Acer saccharinum.
- Bottomland forest trees (New York): Acer saccharinum.
- Pawpaw tree associates (Eastern North America; account synthesis): Asimina triloba.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
| Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest | FAC |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 7 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Mississippi; Missouri; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; Wisconsin |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife
Caterpillars & other plant-feeding insects
This plant has published caterpillar host records for the butterflies and moths listed below. These are larval feeding relationships, separate from adult nectar visits. The records span a North American literature compilation and do not establish that every insect occurs locally or uses only this plant.
Butterflies & skippers
- Celastrina neglecta — Summer Azure
Moths
- Achatia distincta — Distinct Quaker
- Acronicta impleta — Yellow-Haired Dagger
- Acronicta ovata — Ovate Dagger, Epauleted Oak Dagger
- Actias luna — Luna Moth
- Actrix dissimulatrix
- Actrix nyssaecolella — Tupelo Leaffolder
- Adoneta spinuloides — Purple-Crested Slug
- Allotria elonympha — False Underwing
- Alsophila pometaria — Fall Cankerworm Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoides — Miranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Antispila nysaefoliella — Tupelo Leafminer Moth
- Argyrotaenia quercifoliana — Yellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
- Argyrotaenia velutinana — Red-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
- Cecrita guttivitta — Maple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis directana — Chokecherry Leafroller Moth
- Chionodes pereyra
- Choristoneura rosaceana — Oblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Citheronia regalis — Royal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
- Cleora sublunaria — Double-Lined Gray
- Ectoedemia nyssaefoliella
- Ennomos subsignaria — Elm Spanworm Moth
- Euclea delphinii — Spiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eupithecia fletcherata — Fletcher's Eupithecia
- Eupithecia jejunata — Swift Pug
- Eupithecia miserulata — Common Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eupithecia swettii
- Eupsilia schweitzeri
- Eutrapela clemataria — Curved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Glenoides texanaria — Texas Gray
- Halysidota tessellaris — Banded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Hydriomena transfigurata — Transfigured Hydriomena
- Hypagyrtis unipunctata — One-Spotted Variant
- Hypena bijugalis — Dimorphic Bomolocha, Dimorphic Snout
- Iridopsis defectaria — Brown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
- Isa textula — Crowned Slug
- Kocakina fidelis — Intractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
- Lambdina fervidaria — Curve-Lined Looper Moth
- Lithacodes fasciola — Yellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane antennata — Ashen Pinion
- Lymantria dispar — Spongy Moth, Gypsy Moth (listed as introduced in the source)
- Machimia tentoriferella — Gold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Malacosoma disstria — Forest Tent Caterpillar
- Melanolophia canadaria — Canadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Melanolophia signataria — Signate Melanolphia
- Morrisonia confusa — Confused Woodgrain
- Natada nasoni — Nason's Slug Moth
- Oedemasia concinna — Red-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Oedemasia leptinoides — Black-Blotched Schizura
- Olethreutes fasciatana — Banded Olethreutes
- Oneida lunulalis — Orange-Tufted Oneida
- Orgyia leucostigma — White-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia hibisci — Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Packardia geminata — Jeweled Tail Slug Moth
- Plagodis alcoolaria — Hollow-Spotted Plagodis
- Polygrammate cadburyi — Cadbury's Lichen Moth, Cadbury's Mystique
- Polygrammate hebraeicum — The Hebrew
- Prolimacodes badia — Skiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
- Sereda tautana — Speckled Sereda
- Tetracis cachexiata — White Slant-Line
- Tortricidia testacea — Early Button Slug
- Xenolechia ontariensis
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Black Gum or Tupelo or Black Tupelo?
Nyssa sylvatica performs best in partial sun to full shade with mesic to wet (moist acidic woods & swamps) conditions. It thrives in authentic regional soil types ranging from sandy loam to well-drained clay loams.
How do I germinate and establish Black Gum or Tupelo or Black Tupelo from seed?
Seed of Nyssa sylvatica has a germination code of C(60). For best results, sow seed in late fall/winter for natural outdoor freeze-thaw stratification, or cold-moist stratify in refrigeration for 30 to 60 days before spring indoor propagation.
Is Black Gum or Tupelo or Black Tupelo deer and herbivore resistant?
Yes. Native plants adapted to Midwestern habitats naturally produce protective secondary compounds and fibrous textures that make them highly resistant to deer, rabbits, and other grazing herbivores.
When should I expect Black Gum or Tupelo or Black Tupelo to emerge and bloom?
Established plants break dormancy in spring as soil temperatures warm, developing vigorous foliage before blooming in their seasonal window to provide vital nectar when native pollinators need it most.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Chicago-region assessment: Wilhelm & Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region, via Kenneth Johnson’s Universal FQA dataset (2018). Chicago-region native status is separate from U.S. nativity.
The C-value and Chicago-region native status shown here also agree with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago Region FQA dataset (2017), distributed through the USACE/ERDC fqadata package under CC0.
Flora of the Chicago Region (2017) records this taxon as native in the Chicago region.
The state list describes native botanical distribution. It does not establish county nativity or occurrence, suitability for every site, or the origin of the plants and seeds offered here. An unlisted state is not proof of absence.
Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.
State and county nativity: The state list uses WCVP records marked native, excluding introduced, extinct and doubtful records. County nativity has not yet been verified for this listing. Presence in a county or preserve does not establish nativity there.
Documented plant associations: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service — ostvir; querub; american hornbeam. Regions and community contexts are retained in the lists above. Federal botanical facts summarized in original wording; no photographs reproduced.
Available Flora-linked Chicago assessments remain controlling. These regional ecology accounts supplement evidence not available for direct reuse from the Flora; they are not represented as Chicago Flora association lists.
Plant communities: USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System (FEIS): Acer saccharinum; Asimina triloba. Selected association facts regrouped in original wording; regional scope retained. No source photographs or captions reproduced.
Caterpillar host records: Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, Supplement 1. Contains information from this database made available under the Open Database License (ODbL 1.0). Natural Communities selected species-level records and screened source qualifications. The complete selection and transformation instructions for this page are available below under the same license.
Source: Phillippe, L.R., Molano-Flores, B., Murphy, M.J.C., Marcum, P.B. & Ebinger, J.E. (2011), Status of Endangered and Threatened Sand Area Species of the Illinois Flora, Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 39(4):259–296. © 2011 University of Illinois Board of Trustees; CC BY 4.0. Selected community facts regrouped and described by Natural Communities. Historical source names retained; no current legal conservation status is asserted.
C-value source: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), Universal FQA database 80. Matched source taxon: Nyssa sylvatica. Exact.
Sources checked September 5, 2026. Regional assessments and growing observations apply to their stated settings. Unverified fields are omitted; missing information does not mean an ecological relationship is absent.
- Illinois Wildflowers — John Hilty. Limited botanical facts presented in Natural Communities’ own wording. Source-specific observations retain their stated scope; photographs, original descriptive prose and compiled relationship tables are excluded. Supports: Bloom Season; Deer Resistance; Height; Opening botanical description; Primary Native Habitats; Soil Moisture Range; Spread Habit; Sun Exposure; Sunlight Exposure.
- Universal FQA — Flora-linked Chicago database 80. Taxonomic names, family and regional nativity originally checked against Kenneth Johnson’s Flora-linked database 80 (2018), citing Wilhelm & Rericha (2017). Limited factual identification only; the C-value follows this Flora-linked database wherever an exact or documented synonym match is available. Supports: Alternate Common Names; Botanical Name; Chicago-region native status; Plant Family.
- USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Retained for comparison; the displayed C-value follows Flora database 80.
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Limited botanical facts presented in Natural Communities’ own wording. Source-specific observations retain their stated scope; photographs, original descriptive prose and compiled relationship tables are excluded. Supports: Alternate Common Names; Drought Tolerance; Root Architecture & Depth; Salt Tolerance; Soil pH Range; USDA Hardiness Zones.
- USDA NRCS PLANTS — taxon profile and characteristics. USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, checked September 5, 2026. Numeric and categorical taxon-level facts only; no photographs or third-party guide prose reproduced. Supports: Germination Code; Seeds per pound — USDA reference estimate.
- USACE National Wetland Plant List 2022 — Midwest. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2022 National Wetland Plant List, Midwest region; effective February 13, 2024. Federal data. Supports: Wetland Indicator Status.
- USDA Forest Service — FEIS, wildflower accounts and seed manual. Tirmenstein, D. A. 1991. Quercus alba. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System. Public-domain synthesis; community records retain their reported geography. Supports: Documented community associate: Quercus alba.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
The linked Illinois plant relationships were reconciled with INHS-hosted source inventories on September 6, 2026. Same-remnant pairs were calculated from shared named-site occurrences and organized for this catalog; they are not copied narrative descriptions or proof of microsite compatibility.
Historical botanical names remain visible where used by the source. These regional accounts supplement the available Chicago Flora evidence.
Reusable research data
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Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories
- Retail - We only offer shipping & shipping is calculated at check out*
- We do not offer retail pick up
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Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
- Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability. We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish. If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date. If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
- Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
- Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.
Where We Ship
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
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- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
There is a minimum order requirement of $30 for each seed species. Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
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