Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Types
-
Nyssa sylvatica
Number of Varieties
405
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Lowland, Sandy areas, Wet Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm1,828.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Crimson, Dark Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Prune when plant is dormant, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
Asthma
Mild Allergen, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used in parkland, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Emetic, Opthalmic, Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Food for insects, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
NYSSA sylvatica
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Black Tupelo, Blackgum, Sour Gum
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Black Tupelo Tree
In German
Kracher penstemon
Schwarz Tupelo Baum
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Noir Arbre Tupelo
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Árbol negro Tupelo
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Μαύρη Tupelo Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Árvore Tupelo Preto
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Czarny Tupelo Drzewo
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Niger Tupelo ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Cornales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Nyssaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Nyssa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Bombini
Subfamily
-
Nyssoideae
Number of Species
25045
1
27800
👆🏻