Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Nyssa sylvatica
-
Number of Varieties
556
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, Sandy areas, Wet Woods
Mountains, Upland
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-7
9-2
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Pyramidal
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,828.80 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
762.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Red, Rose, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Blue, Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Crimson, Dark Red, Orange Red
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblovate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium
Do Not over Water, Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Prune when plant is dormant, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Leaf spot, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Mild Allergen, Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used in parkland, Water gardening
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Emetic, Opthalmic, Vermifuge
Broken Bones, Burns, Sore throat, Stomach aliments, Urine infections
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Whole plant
Other Uses
Food for insects, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
NYSSA sylvatica
PENSTEMON barbatus
Common Name
Black Tupelo, Blackgum, Sour Gum
Beardlip Penstemon, Scarlet Beardtongue
In Hindi
Black Tupelo Tree
Beardlip Penstemon
In German
Schwarz Tupelo Baum
Beardlip Penstemon
In French
Noir Arbre Tupelo
penstemon beardlip
In Spanish
Árbol negro Tupelo
penstemon beardlip
In Greek
Μαύρη Tupelo Δέντρο
beardlip penstemon
In Portuguese
Árvore Tupelo Preto
penstemon beardlip
In Polish
Czarny Tupelo Drzewo
beardlip penstemon
In Latin
Niger Tupelo ligno
Birdlip penstemon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cornales
Lamiales
Family
Nyssaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Nyssa
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Dicotyledonous, Eudicots
Tribe
Bombini
-
Subfamily
Nyssoideae
-
Number of Species
4540
1
27800
👆🏻