Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Nyssa sylvatica
-
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, Sandy areas, Wet Woods
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-7
12-1
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,828.80 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
762.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Blue, Black
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Crimson, Dark Red, Orange Red
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblovate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium
Do not water frequently
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
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 dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Borers, Cucumber beetles, Mealybugs, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Mild Allergen, Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used in parkland, Water gardening
-
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
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
Food for insects, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
NYSSA sylvatica
CUCURBITA pepo 'Papaya Pear'
Common Name
Black Tupelo, Blackgum, Sour Gum
Summer Squash
In Hindi
Black Tupelo Tree
summer squash
In German
Schwarz Tupelo Baum
Sommerkürbis
In French
Noir Arbre Tupelo
courges d'été
In Spanish
Árbol negro Tupelo
calabaza de verano
In Greek
Μαύρη Tupelo Δέντρο
καλοκαίρι σκουός
In Portuguese
Árvore Tupelo Preto
abobrinha
In Polish
Czarny Tupelo Drzewo
latem squash
In Latin
Niger Tupelo ligno
aestas cucurbitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cornales
Violales
Family
Nyssaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Nyssa
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Bombini
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
Nyssoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
455
1
27800
👆🏻