Nyssa sylvatica Green Gable™ 'NSUHH' (Black Gum)

Nyssa sylvatica Green Gable™, is a cultivar of black gum or tupelo, a medium-sized tree native to wet lowland areas across much of the eastern half of the United States. Occasionally growing to around seventy feet tall in the wild, most cultivated blackgum like the Green Gable™ cultivar grow to only 20-50' tall, and thanks to this cultivar's upright branching behavior, it has a narrow spread of only about 25' at maturity, making it a great, semi-compact shade or specimen tree for use in parks and small yards where its brilliant scarlet-red fall foliage will be on full display. In addition to shade and specimen trees, Nyssa sylvatica is also a great resource for wetland restoration and naturalization planting, growing excellently when provided with sun to partial shade and medium and medium-high moisture.

Blooming from May to June, Nyssa sylvatica flowers are not showy, but are a great source of nectar for pollinators and butterflies. As a monoecious species, Nyssa sylvatica requires both a male and female in order to turn pollinated female flowers into small, berry-like fruits that attract birds; as an all-male cultivar, Green Gable™ blackgums are an excellent choice as a pollinator for female trees, or for planting tupelo without having to worry about potentially messy fruits. Beyond its fruits, black tupelo is also a host plant for a number of caterpillar species, including Cadbury's mystique moth (Comachara cadburyi), the azalea sphinx moth (Darapsa choerilus), and the alien probole moth (Probole alienaria). In addition to moths, mammals, and birds, Nyssa sylvatica is even a host tree to frogs! With a variety of natural hollows and deeply furrowed bark, a variety of tree frogs find their summer homes along black tupelo's branches.